


Star Wars: Legend of the Sidi part 1

by SidimasterJC



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, F/M, Star Wars References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 18:14:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 84,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13172481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SidimasterJC/pseuds/SidimasterJC
Summary: This is the first story to my knowledge of a gray Jedi, a neutral force user called the Sidi.Good and Evil, light and dark. The Jedi and the Sith. Both claiming to know the true nature of the force and both battling for supremicy over the galaxy. But what if they were both wrong? This is the Legend of the Sidi. The story of a young boy who discovers he has the unique ability to force trick even strong minded people. Through use of his abnormal gift be befreinds both a Jedi padawan AND  a Sith learner and uses them to learn to control his power. In doing so he learns both sides of the force and from a non bias point of view is able to reconcile the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. The problem is strong minded people will eventually become immune to the force ability and see through the lies. Which both the Sith Hekk Taur and Jedi Ann Thoni eventually do and swear vengance on their former friend. On the Hidden planet Yazmina the three have their ultimate showdown. This book is 412 pgs, 57 ch & has 2 wars, 4 planetary battles, 3 individual battles, and 16 thats right 16 lightsaber battles!





	Star Wars: Legend of the Sidi part 1

STAR WARS:

LEGEND OF THE SIDI

 

A novel by J.C. Heinz  
COPYWRITE 2012

 

CHAPTER ONE 

 

The V-Class star ship came out of Hyperspace just above the planet Molovar, sister planet to Kameeno. In the Rishi maze, it was far enough beyond the outer rim territories that neither the Jedi or the Federation would be able to track Sith movements very easily. Yet far enough on the outskirts that the Sith themselves would not be monitoring it. “Argon is in sight sir. Attempting to contact the planets moon settlement.” The communications officer was addressing a cloaked shadowy figure standing just behind the captain’s chair. His dark gray hood concealed his face, while his long Jedi...or Sith looking robes Concealed the rest of him. “No. Make no contact of any sort. Land the craft on the dark side of the moon and leave me there.” The mysterious figure responded. “With all due respect.” The ship’s captain began. “Thermal scanners indicate the temperature and oxygen levels are beyond survival. If you let us hail the outpost we can make sure you arrive safely.” 

“I’m aware of the atmospheric conditions captain. You let me worry about my survival.”  
The captain started to say “We do not know your name, who you are, or why you wanted us to take you out here, but I am the captain of this ship and we will follow...” His voice cut out as if being choked. “It is my understanding that  
mercenaries accept the contract, take the money, and follow orders. As long as my credits are in your pocket you will do as I command.” Turning to the communications, and navigations officers the mysterious figure continued. “Send no communications, land the craft on the far side of the moon.” With that he released the captain from his mental grip and left the bridge.  
“I don’t care how much he paid us, I’ll be happy when he’s off this ship and were far away from here.” The communications officer said turning back to his station. A man sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the command bridge was polishing his side blaster. “Assuming we make it out of here alive! This is Sith territory! If they pick us up on their scanners that will be the end of us.” He said without raising his head. The first mate of the ship replied “They won’t pick us up. Were in the star shadows, and our radar jammer is bouncing all tracking signals back to where they came from.” 

“Fool!” The captain shouted slamming his fist on the chair arm. “The Sith don’t need scanners. They have only to close their eyes, and reach out with the force! There are NO radar jammers, cloaking devices, or star shadow’s that will hide us from that!” The communications officer rebutted with “Yes but isn’t our passenger a Sith? Wouldn’t he be able to grant us safe passage?” A man polishing his blaster stood up, holstered his weapon and said “First of all the Sith would have killed us and taken the transport by force, second the Sith aren’t exactly known for being honorable, and third the fact that he’s sneaking onto the moon would suggest he’s not their ally. There’s something about him that puts me off. I've never seen a Sith or Jedi wearing gray before. We shouldn’t have taken this contract.”  
As the crew debated among themselves, the robed figure who went by the name JayCee walked down the main corridor and into a turbo lift. With a wave of his hand the doors closed and the lift started to move down. The doors opened to reveal a large hangar bay. On the left sidewall in a clear casing were seven atmospheric space suits. Next to them were rows of shelves with an assortment of what looked like surveying equipment, hand held moister detectors, radiation detectors, comlinks, terrain surveyors, etc. On the opposite wall was a makeshift arsenal. Repulsor cannons, hand blasters, blaster rifles, portable shield plating, battle armor, thermal detonators, portable ion cannons, personal tracking jammers, and other such devices that had been collected over what must have been many years of pirating the galaxy. On the back wall, there’s a maintenance hatch leading to the main sub light engines. Right next to that is the main door housing the astromech droids responsible for keeping the ship in working order. The far wall was sealed by massive bay doors. No shield generators were present, indicating just how much of an antique the ship really was. The technology was relatively new, only about one hundred years or so. “Still old enough that even a Junker like this should’ve been retrofitted by now.” JayCee thought to himself. Without access shielding, the doors could not be opened without inviting the vacuum of space to suck everything out without air locking the entire bay first. In the center of the bay were two speeders and a hover bike. “Force be damned! Is there anything on this ship that’s less than a century old!” He thought to himself looking at the ancient relics that may have once been considered a form of transportation. “It’ll have to do.” He said aloud. With a deep sigh, he started toward the clear casing holding the atmospheric suits. He put one on and walked over to one of the hover bikes. The least run down looking of the three vehicles. 

Sitting on the hover bike he closed his eyes for a moment. Sensing that the ship had entered the moons atmosphere he opened his eyes and raised his hand in the direction of the control panel on the wall next to the turbo lift door. No sooner had he lifted his hand than the door opened. The crew of the Maidens Revenge spilled out, blasters in hand, taking evasive stances. “Taking our equipment wasn’t part of the contract.” The captain said. “Take off the suit, and step away from the bike.”

“Or you will do what?” JayCee said with a little smirk on his face. He stepped off the bike and stood facing his assailants. “It’s a trick! Don’t trust him!” One of the crew yelled out. “Take him down!” Another yelled and fired his blaster. The remaining crew opened fire as well. In a flash, every blaster bolt was deflected back at them. The captain ordered a cease fire and stood open mouthed at the robed, space suited figure who was standing in the same spot still facing them. A bright orange column of light extending from his right hand.  
Pulling his left arm back to his shoulder every weapon flew out of the men’s hands and slid across the floor at him. In the same movement, he pushed his hand forward knocking the crew of the ship back against the wall. JayCee then moved his hand back toward the control panel. “Caution. Hangar bay doors opening. Caution. Hangar bay doors opening.” The computerized voice of the ship repeated. There was a loud clanking sound as the doors began to slide open. 

 

JayCee got on the hover bike, turned it on and simply allowed himself to slide right out of the craft in midair. At least one hundred feet above the moon’s surface he fell like a stone. He activated the bikes energy pads just before hitting the ground. The bottom of the bike skidded and bounced a little off the hard-stone surface of the tiny planet like moon and sped off on his way. In the side mirror, he could see the Maidens Revenge turn around, it’s engines hit full throttle and the ship disappeared. “Good reddens!” He thought to himself. “Now to the task at hand.” 

It had been three weeks since he had received information regarding a Sith outpost in this area. With the Jedi closing in fast he could only hope he beat them to it. The war between Sith and Jedi had raged for as long as anyone could remember. The eternal struggle between good and evil. The fight for the balance between light and dark. How many had died? Innocent people that is. The Sith claim to be fighting to harmonize the galaxy. “Under Sith control all the planetary systems would be on one side. There would be no inter planetary wars, no trade disputes, no taxing between planetary travel.” A Sith once told him. “Democracy is based on the idea that a representative from each world would be elected to address the senate. They would all gather, discuss the problem, agree on the best course of action to take, and then do it. The down fall with that logic is that people don’t always agree. Resulting in endless arguing and debating while the problem is left unresolved. Like a festering wound it only grows worse until there is no other option but to take matters into your own hands and settle it. Usually ending in war and the loss of countless innocent lives.”  
JayCee countered that argument with “I agree with what you’re saying but democracy cannot be replaced by dictatorship. Who gave you the authority to decide what’s in the best interest of all people! It is the planets right to decide. If they choose to take part in the charade of the senate that’s their problem and their fault. Every planet has the right to bow out of the democratic process. It is not for you to make that decision for them.”  
“It already is a dictatorship!” The Sith fired back with a ting of anger in his voice. “If a world decides not to participate in the Galactic senate they are deemed a separatist union and therefore an enemy of the civilized systems. All trade is cut off, federal credits have no value, and citizens wouldn’t be allowed within federal territory. Imagine what that would do to the global economy if that were to happen. The people would be plunged into poverty, civil war would break out and the planet would eventually die! Don’t blind yourself to the truth that the senate functions on a join us or die philosophy!”  
JayCee seeing that he was at the point you never want to cross with a Sith, even if that Sith is your friend chuckled to himself and with a sarcastic tone said “You Sith make me laugh. There’s no reason to get all pissed off. We’re having a discussion, not a debate.”  
“A discussion takes place between two people with the same views. The only thing you’re succeeding in doing is insulting me.” The Sith said placing a hand on the light saber clipped to his belt.  
JayCee noticing his movement placed a hand near his weapon. “Careful. You’re not the only one of us who’s handy with a weapon.”  
The Sith was Hekk Taur. Soon to be among the most powerful of force users both Sith and the Jedi. He had befriended JayCee when he was very young. It was he who recognized that JayCee was force sensitive and had given him his first lessons in attuning to the will of the force. Though he tried to influence him to the dark side, JayCee had always been just strong enough to resist becoming yet another slave to a pointless order who’s only concern is of its own self-preservation, and attainment of greater power. Same as the Jedi…  
His thoughts were brought back to the present as the outpost came into view. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon. He had to hurry. The suit he was wearing may have protected him from the severe cold. But within an hour or so the blazing heat of the sun would melt the suit right off him and disintegrate his body in a matter of seconds. The huge building grew larger the closer he got. Looking like a huge black and gray prison. A giant square with smaller squares attached to its sides. Surrounded by a thirty-foot electrified fence, garrison towers equipped with laser turrets and spot lights at all four corners of the property, and little else. The entire moon was a desolate wasteland. A burning desert in the sun, a giant ice sheet in the dark. Winds that would reach up to one hundred fifty kilomiles, almost zero oxygen, and extremely low gravity. JayCee had to use the force to keep himself from flying off into space. There was an atmosphere, but it was really nothing more than a naturally occurring heat shield to protect it from asteroid impact. The perfect place to attract Sith. 

“If anybody is home that fence will be active. That wouldn’t be good. Although I don’t see any of the perimeter lights on, and the garrisons are abandoned.” JayCee closed his eyes and took as deep a breath as he could. Reaching out with the force trying to sense any living presence. Nothing. Opening his eyes, he stood up on the seat of the hover bike. He pulled the throttle back all the way increasing his speed. Letting go of his conscious self he let the force tell him when to jump. Lifting off the bike he flew into the air. As he rose he realized he was not coming back down. In the meantime, the hover bike crashed through the fence sending a blaze of sparks and electricity flying everywhere. Steering out of control it crashed into one of the garrison towers and exploded. “Low gravity! I jumped too hard damn it!” Flipping himself over facing the sky he held his hands out and attempted to force push himself back toward the ground. It worked! He fell strait down, hitting hard. His back slammed against the ground sending a sharp pain strait up his spine. “Well there’s definitely no one here.” He said out loud to himself. “There would be twenty Sith on me right now if there were.” Pulling his light saber off his belt just in case, he headed around the corner to a small door in the side of one of the small square buildings. He didn’t even check to see if it was unlocked. He simply held his hand out and closed his fist. The door knob crumbled like paper. He pulled his hand back, the door ripping off its hinges flew behind him hitting the ground.

The inside of the temple was a tomb. Obviously deserted for a while. Aside from a few blinking lights on a control panel there was nothing. JayCee activated his light saber for light and began looking around. There was nothing in the sad remains of the Sith outpost that interested him except for the location of the Sith themselves. Not sure where to go he let the force be his guide. We walked through a short hallway into the main chamber. A huge transport hangar filled with land rover vehicles, assault vehicles, and deep space transport vessels. “This is a fall back spot! A hideout for when things get too hot! It doesn’t look like anybody’s been here for years! That son of a Ton ton gave me false information! I’ll fucking kill him! Whoa, easy there dark sider, remember your training, this is not an act deserving of death. I’ll break both of his legs for lying to me but I won’t kill him.” Realizing there was nothing here, and being smart enough to know that even though this settlement wasn’t active it was probably still at least being monitored. Activating anything electronic could trigger an alert. So, a new problem. How to get that space transport out of the hangar without activating the doors. “I’m strong with the force but not that strong. Few are! To open a door that size would take at least a few force users.” 

He hated doing this. Calling on his friends for help. The few he had, friends were not a luxury afforded in his lifestyle. More for their protection than anything. Friends can be used against you. Attachment can be made a weakness by your enemies. Putting innocent people in harm’s way just for knowing your name wasn’t a very friendly thing to do. But still there were those who somehow penetrated the surface and got in anyway. One in particular was Tosh. A spirited young woman he had met a couple years back. A smuggler by trade, she inherited the ship she had grown up on after her father died. They had met by “The will of the force” According to Tosh. JayCee was skeptical, but accepted her theory because the woman was impossible to argue with. One time she brought out the dark side in him so severe that he had punched a hole right through the outer bulkhead of her ship. The suction had almost killed them all and destroyed her ship. He had saved her from the Hutt’s. Vile gangsters that were coming into power of the outer rim territories. She stole a shipment of bacta tanks from a med center on Tatooine and was trying to sell them off in the tingle arm. JayCee who was looking for passage to the Hoth system had agreed to get the Hutt’s off her back in exchange for transportation. He’s never been able to get rid of her since. He sat on the floor in a crisscross position, closed his eyes and began to breathe slow and rhythmically.

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

On the planet Koribaan in the throne room which sat the Sith high counsel. The members that were present sat in silence, a group meditation. Two of the members had been away on Kashyyk attempting to force the Wookie’s into submission before the other Sith leaders got to it first. Another was tracking a group of Jedi across the inner rim, and one more was sent to commandeer a weapons transport from their Sith enemies. It was a time after they had been defeated. The Jedi thought them extinct, except for a rogue dark Jedi or small faction here and there. What was left of their once great order had been broken and now ruled by multiple Sith lords all vying for ruler ship over all. Currently a family of Sith had the most power but smaller sects still existed. Like this one, overseen by a counsel of dark ones that were about to unleash an evil scheme. Darth Kifo was among the few in history to be invited to meditate with, and speak openly to the council. Only being a darth, and not a lord it was a great honor to learn the inner force from the high lords. 

The large spiked doors of the chamber opened with an eerie creek, a ghost like green light peeked through as a protocol droid entered the room. Cautiously approaching the what appeared to be sleeping Sith. “Forgive the intrusion my lords but a security beacon has been activated on the moon of Molovar.”  
“So.” Spoke one of the lords. Darth Kifo squinted his eyes open “How much was taken?” The protocol droid turned in his direction and replied “Nothing lord. Perimeter sensors indicate that part of the fence is destroyed, a garrison tower has been damaged, and a door has been ripped off its hinges. There’s been no activity other than that.” “A meteor got through the atmosphere, and crashed. So, what.” The mysterious Sith spoke. To which Darth Kifo sarcastically remarked “And ripped a door off while leaving the surrounding wall untouched?” “Who would break into a Sith hideout and do nothing?” Was his reply. “If they didn’t know it was Sith they would’ve taken everything. Only someone who knows what it is would leave everything untouched.” Darth Kifo relaxed in his chair. “This person is looking for something.” From his sitting position, he lifted his hand. The protocol droid began to spark and short circuit, mini explosions of microprocessors, and servo motors burst through its casing. The outer metallic shell crumpled in on itself as the droid fell to the ground. Darth Kifo stood from his chair and adjusted his robe. “I will go and find out what.” Walking out of the great hall, “Next time wait until after my meditation to bring me this sort of news.” He said under his breath as he passed the sparking, snapping wreck of a droid. Exiting the hall heading for his chambers Darth Kifo busied himself in thought. 

“JayCee. It must be. This has you written all over it. Only you would be so ungraceful…” His thoughts were cut off by his holo projector vibrating on his belt. When he activated it a blue shadow of a droid appeared “My lord. Sensors indicate that the main hangar bay doors have been activated and a Nerellian space cruiser has launched from the docking bay of the Molovarian outpost.” Closing the projector “Of course.” He said out loud. Reaching his quarters, he removed his ceremonial robes and garments. He replaced them with a standard black tunic and pants along with a slightly modified robe. The outer trim and sleeves were like a version of purple silver. It was purple but it had the polished sheen of fresh steel. He clipped his utility belt around his waist and checked its contents: Light saber, thirty feet of triple weave micro steel cable with grappling hook, three bacta tanks (Even though the force grants a certain amount of healing power he likes to be prepared.), a comlink and wave tracker, and a small container of food ration pills. Everything in its place Darth Kifo put on his boots and left. Reaching the main hangar bay, he boarded a ship with mid-size wings and a small but accommodating cargo bay. “Why won't you just listen! If you would commit to one side, you could be great!” He thought as the impulse engines warmed up. “You chose to turn your back on me. You walked away. I will do what I must.” Engines ready he hit the accelerator and took off for space. “If… that is your destiny.”

Having been raised in the Sith order from infancy, he was the son of Darth Manic. Some Sith on occasion would be known to have sexual encounters, seeing as how Sith and Jedi were generally sterile. The Sith interested only in their own self-gratification. There is no attachment in a one-night stand. Every now and then however one would possess the ability and a child would be born on both sides. Given the name Hekk Taur for his father’s blood line. He had pale brown skin, long fingernails that came to a point, sharp pointed teeth almost like a vampire. His eyes however were not the Sith trademark Yellow and red but instead, all red. So, bright at times they almost seemed to glow. He had no hair. Instead there were two three inch horns coming out of the sides of his forehead. Two more horns came out in the same spot on the back of his head. Tiny sharp ridges like a saw blade protruded under his skin running down the sides of his head connecting the horns at each side. He was disciplined. Tone, and muscular, very defined. He led a militaristic life style, very strict on the rules with very extreme consequences for not abiding them. He spent his days in school learning basic skills, reading, math, science, everything he would need intellectually. When he wasn’t attending class, he was learning saber skills, and force techniques. He was a fast learner and showed great skills in all areas. 

At the age of ten he was placed as the student of master of Een Thubut. He would accompany his master on many adventures and sharpen his skills to a fine point. He was especially fond of women. Of all his skills, mastery of seducing women was at the top. He didn’t need the force like others. Women were taken to him, and he to them. He would lay with almost anyone, anytime. It was quickly discovered he could bear children. However, it seemed he was only capable of creating females. While females were strong and still valued, boys were considered the first choice. Of all the ten children, he’s fathered not one single boy was born to him. “Is this some cruel karmic aspect of the force?” He often wondered. “Is this my penance for the way I’ve treated women?” If so it would seem the ironic side of the force is not without a sense of humor. All his offspring had been taken into the orders custody and he never gave them more than a thought. Children were separated early to stop the attachment process. 

At seventeen he came across a headstrong yet clumsy boy by the name of JayCee. The son of a modest family. His father a local mechanic, his mother worked the nightshift in a local bar. His little brother always annoying him. He was eight years old and always getting into trouble. One day he attempted to steal a pack of republic credits from him. When he grabbed his hand the kid pulled away and pushed it back at the dark padawan. He felt a flutter of wind gently trace across his arm. He realized the boy was force sensitive. Hekk asked his name and told him he could help him learn to develop his power. JayCee of course seeming to have no idea what he was talking about. Hekk spent the next few months teaching the boy on quieting his mind, attuning to the will of the force, controlling the minds of the weak, telekinesis training, and Sith philosophy. He also taught him parts of the first two levels of light saber training:

Shii Cho: The most basic training. Learning to hold a sword, basic swings, stances, and striking patterns.  
To pass this level Jaycee had to demonstrate he could hold and swing an energy weapon without hurting himself. He had to show the five main foot stances, He had to be able to swing down ending at each side, and swing up, ending blade tip down to each side. JayCee passed this level in two weeks.

Makashi: The second level of training that focuses on offensive and defensive strikes. Basics out of the way, standard swordsmanship is the focus. Thrust, Parry, Turnabout…  
To pass this level JayCee had to properly execute a Thrust, Parry, Side step, Lunge, Reverse step, Round step, Turnabout, and his diagonal steps. It took the rest of the time with Hekk. 

Then he had been called away by his master. Not being a darth he was not permitted to take an apprentice. He promised the boy he would return to teach him more when he was granted a higher rank, but his parents wouldn’t allow it. JayCee's father not being comfortable with the whole belief of the force forbade Hekk Taur from contacting him again. Through secret communications JayCee continued contact anyway. Asking questions, looking for guidance. This was highly irregular but something compelled Hekk to indulge the boy. Asking questions about the Jedi, he showed an interest in their philosophy. Which Hekk of course discouraged. 

His father discovered his son contacting him and moved his family to Coruscant knowing the Sith wouldn’t follow him that close inside Jedi territory. 

Now twenty-three Hekk Taur was sent to the far side of the tingle arm to kill an Almanain Pacifist leader who was opposing dictated control over the system. He had convinced the almost slave workers to stop working, until certain equal treatment rights were granted. He and his master Een Thubut had infiltrated the Rally headquarters only to find three Jedi waiting. As supporters of the act they anticipated the Siths participation. (Not good enough.) “We’ve been expecting you.” A young Jedi said igniting her light saber. The other two humanoid Jedi ignited their light sabers as well and took defensive stances.  
Without a word Hekk and Thubut drew their swords and attacked. The first Jedi came at Hekk with a side swing for his head. He ducked under the swing and countered with an upward strike. The Jedi evaded and swirled around. Clashes and sparks of light burst with every contact of the blades. Every thrust, every parry was matched and deflected by both participants. Sensing another behind him he flipped backward in the air, landed, swooped under a saber strike, waved his hand in the air and sent a small statue flying off its pedestal toward the Jedi. He could force push it away but was distracted just long enough to catch a crimson blade through the heart. “Master!” cried out the young female. She attacked the dark padawan with a new fervor. Slashing through the air with blind strikes. “Not very well trained. She’s lost all her focus.” He remarked to himself. Not being able to control her anger the young Jedi apprentice moved without caution and stepped just off the mark for the technique she was attempting. Hekk capitalized off this slip. He bent back swinging his light saber in a half circle in front of his torso deflecting the light saber aimed at his face. He kicked his foot out crushing the would-be Jedi’s knee. With a swirling motion, he brought his blade around cutting off her saber arm at the elbow, then with an over exaggerated extra turn brought his light saber in a diagonal slice at her neck through her torso with the blade coming out of her body at the waist. All three pieces of the padawan fell to the floor.

He turned, saber in hand to see Een Thubut, dueling the last remaining Jedi knight. Countless adventures he had had with his mentor, dozens of Jedi killed. Now it would seem he was growing weak with the force. One Jedi shouldn’t be a problem, but with his advancing years he was getting slow. “Has he gotten slow or lazy?” Hekk Taur thought to himself. “Has his power softened him? Has he become too complacent, too confident in his abilities? Or has the corrosion of time slowed his body’s ability to react?” He watched the evenly matched battle with interest. The student of the dark side would do nothing to help his master. He had just defeated a Jedi and his apprentice. If his Sith master was no longer able to deal with a single Jedi, then he deserved to lose. The fact that Hekk Taur was unusually strong with the force, even among force born children didn’t matter. It was the Sith way that each should be strong enough to defend himself. To rely on others is weakness. A Sith’s power comes from within. They rely on their passion for their strength. When the day comes that their passion fades, they lose power with the force. It is only fitting then that they should be eradicated. Not to make room for stronger hungrier Sith, but to prevent their weakness from becoming apparent and marring the name of the order that thrives. People don’t respect weakness and therefore can never be shown.

The battle was even. The thing about force users battling each other is they both have the ability to anticipate the other’s movements. Hekk had always been intrigued by watching saber battles. It’s like watching a mirror image of the same person. The same movements, and sword strikes. Depending on the strength of the duelers that is. A battle between a strong and weak opponent is over too quickly.

Which is how it should have been in this case. Een Thubut or as he went by his Sith name Darth torrid was beginning to lose. Sensing his master was growing more tired by the second Hekk Taur was preparing himself to take the lead after Torrid failed. Which sure enough wasn’t very far off. With a parry to the left, duck, and half step to the right The Jedi knight evaded Een’s advance and came around plunging his blue shimmering blade through the small of Darth Torrid’s back. Falling to the ground the last image he would ever see was the sight of his apprentice smiling as everything went black.  
The Jedi recovered his stance only to find his other Sith nemesis gone. Closing his eyes to feel for his life sign he was stunned by a severe electric shock! Streams of electricity coursed through and around his body. As he writhed in pain falling to the floor he saw the dark servant step out from behind a planter in the corner of the room. The more the Jedi cried out in pain the more intensely he applied his electric power. A secret he kept from the Sith high counsel, the fact that he had mastered summoning force lighting at such an early age, he knew he might be regarded as a threat to the order. Since double crossing was almost normal for his type. Everyone always looking out for what could serve themselves best. The Sith counsel would have had him executed for fear of losing their own power. Causing pain was a thrill to the soon to be Darth. An erotic pleasure that in a sick and twisted way started his libido. On his way, back to the Sith headquarters he would have to stop by one of the myriad planets offering such physical pleasures as female accompaniment. 

Upon returning home he received the Sith version of a hero’s welcome. Having assassinated the pacifist leader, and killing three Jedi. He had also taken the initiative to pike the bodies of the two Jedi and the no more than fourteen-year-old female apprentice on huge spikes placed at certain points in the worker’s camp as a reminder of what becomes of people who rebel against the system. The younger one being cut in half her body was placed at two separate ends of one of the work camps. Order must be maintained to ensure peace and he had done just that. Restored order in the chaos of rebellion. He was granted the rank of Darth and allowed to take a learner of his own. He chose the name Kifo. It was a Sawa Hili word that meant ominous destroyer.  
As far as an apprentice only one name came to mind. JayCee. He asked for permission to take leave to pursue personal business. As was his newly acquired right as a Darth. The last known location of JayCee was somewhere on Coruscant. 

Landing on the planet that over the course of thousands of years had been stripped away of everything natural. Fields, Forests, swamp lands, and all natural habitat eradicated in the name of progress. Replaced by buildings that stood one thousand stories high, streets, and power grids, the entire planet had been mechanized, transformed into a giant city. Considered the center of the universe, Coruscant was home to the Galactic senate, and the Jedi temple. At the heart of Jedi territory, the Sith very rarely ventured that far inside the inner rim. 

Weeks, he spent searching him out only to find him in the one place he hoped he wouldn’t. Close to the Jedi temple, learning their ways! He was not a padawan, or in any way affiliated with the order of his enemies, yet he was submersed in the light side of the force. Apparently befriended by a Jedi who was helping him without the counsels’ knowledge. The force was on his side however, this…Jedi had been sent away on an assignment. He stretched out with the force and contacted JayCee. “Meet with me.” He said. “There is still much for you to learn.” JayCee had received Hekk Taur’s mental communication and met with him.

“My friend!” Hekk said greeting him. “I never thought I’d see you again.” JayCee said. “I must say I’m a little surprised and dismayed to find you here. Doing what you’re doing.” Hekk had a disappointed tone in his voice. “After my father moved us here, I had to do something. Learn whatever I could however I could. They were the only one’s around.” JayCee replied. “I see they have not made you a padawan. Come with me. Let me finish your training.” Darth Kifo implored the boy. Years had passed since they last saw each other. He was growing up. Now the age of fifteen he had grown quite strong. Perhaps learning from the Jedi had helped increase his power, but it was time to erase the blind views and ignorant teachings of the foolish band of force users. “Let me show you the true nature of the force.” He said holding out his hand. JayCee mulled it over in his mind for a moment. “I can’t leave. My father would never allow it.” He finally answered.  
“Is that why you weren’t accepted with the Jedi? Your refusal to let go of your family? Even they must have taught you that such attachment is self-defeating. It is your greatest weakness.” Hekk Taur Thought for a moment. “Very well.” He finally said “I will stay here until you are ready to shed your weakness.” JayCee replied “What about the Jedi?” Hekk stood confidently and chuckled a little “I can mask myself from the Jedi. What about you? The only one willing to help you is gone. When I left, you replaced me with him. Now I am here once again to fill the void.” JayCee looked down “Just like you said you would. I spent three years training in secret with Jedi apprentice Aan Thoni. In my quest to learn everything about the force he taught me what he could when he could. I suppose I owe you the same.”  
“I understand with your studies and home obligations you won’t have as much time as I’d prefer but we will make do. You understand that under my teaching you can have no contact with the Jedi in any way, even your friend. I forbid it.” JayCee kneeled before his new teacher. “The main lesson I sense you want me to learn is letting go of my attachments. I will start with the Jedi.”

“From now on you will no longer call me Hekk Taur. You will address me as master or Darth Kifo” Hekk knew this was going to be a long battle. He had to tread with caution. If he moved to fast he might disway the boy. His trust is the key. But it will take time.  
Over the next few months they spent much time together. JayCee was extremely well adept to using force powers. He had already mastered telekinesis, force sprinting, force jumping, and all the other universal force techniques. Whether you’re a student of the light or dark side of the force there are many skills that are the same. “It’s not the force that’s different between the two but how it’s used by the individual person.” Hekk taught him. “Good will use it for good evil for evil. The force itself is the neutral energy from which both Sith and Jedi draw upon… The force does not take sides.”  
If anything, he should thank this Jedi for saving him the trouble of having to teach him the basics. Weeks turned into months. He was very proud of the progress he’d made. He was learning to discipline himself to do whatever is necessary to accomplish his means. To have no emotion over it whatsoever. The value of the self over others, taking rather than receiving, the power of selfishness over charity, sacrificing others to save yourself, and using the force to serve your purposes. He seemed to flourish. Word came that Jedi knight Aan Thoni, the one who had helped JayCee had been killed in the Mustifar system. JayCee didn’t shed one tear. He was well on his way. And yet there was something that kept him here. Something he couldn’t let go of. Hekk had tried to search his mind but couldn’t locate what he dwelt on. More months passed and JayCee had finally become strong enough to use the force at will while at the same time open himself for the force to control him as well. He would often tell him during meditations and exercises  
“It’s a symbiotic relationship. Midi Chlorians are living beings. They live inside you, like immunities that protect you from illness. They are the T-blood cells that connect your body with the force. They inject it into your system so to speak. You can separate the feelings. You can either focus the force externally while sensing the feelings or will of others internally, or you can focus the force internally to say gain control over one or many people while allowing the force to externally control your movements say for instance deflecting blaster fire.” As he was saying this he was dueling with JayCee. Hekk with his light saber JayCee with a vibro blade. Each Jedi or Sith is responsible for making his own weapon. Once you reach a certain skill level you can search the Crystal mines for just the right stone. It could sometimes take weeks for an adept to find just the perfect stone. It’s a very personal thing for a student to undertake. JayCee was at that level. But his reluctance to leave the planet was becoming ridiculous. He had understood when the child was in school. Being too old to be accepted into either of the orders at eight, the only place he felt he belonged was in the kingdom he had built for himself at the educational facility. Simply killing his family and kidnapping the boy would not have worked. The Sith council would never have allowed him to be trained. Besides that, he still had some of that Jedi nonsense in his head. He would have turned on him and made a mess of things. He thought many times that he should just go back. Take another as his apprentice and never think of JayCee again. But there was something about him. Something about his unusual presence. Unlike any he’d ever encountered. So, it became his plan that when his pupil had finished his higher education he would be strong enough to take before the council and convince them to allow him full entrance to the dark ways. It had now been just over three years. His schooling completed, yet he would not leave. Years of trying to discover the secret and he had failed. “Who is this boy? How does he have such powers?” Then came the night. When everything changed forever. 

“Approaching Holcon five!” The ships computer reported. Darth Kifo opened his eye’s drifting out of his meditation. He rose to his feet, swallowed a food pill he had retrieved from his utility belt and prepared to land.

 

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

It was a bright morning on Coruscant. Jedi master Aan Thoni had not slept a wink. His sleep had been troubled by bad dreams lately. Hazy images of multi colored lights and shadowy figures. He knew the people in his dream but their faces were blurry and without form. “Is this a warning? Or a premonition? Are the messages telling me to stay away or drawing me toward whatever it is?” Even with his thirty-seven years in service to the light side of the force, Interpretation of its will is something all Jedi struggle with. No matter how strong they are.  
There are so many ways to interperate symbols, and signs seen in revelations. If one see’s say, another Jedi he knows dying in a dream what do you do? You could try to find that Jedi and warn them or try to protect them and stop the dream from coming true. However how do you know that your presence isn’t what starts the process.  
Say you show up as the Jedi is in battle, and your arrival distracts the one in question, causing him to lose his focus on the moment and get stabbed, shot, or blown up. Had you not been there that distraction wouldn’t have happened and the Jedi may have survived. In which case, it could mean the dream was a warning to stay away, as if saying “Stay away! This is what will happen if you get involved!”  
On the other hand, if you had the same dream and chose to do nothing, how do you know that the Jedi may have been in serious trouble. Outnumbered and out flanked having that one extra Jedi could have made all the difference. So, by your lack of action you again become responsible for the death foreseen in your dream. As if the force is saying “You must hurry! You must help your friends.” 

Interpretation is left to the individual who is having the visions to determine for themselves. If you were to ask ten different people for their thoughts, you would receive ten different interpretations. That is why no matter how much experience you have, no matter how old or wise you are, this area of the force can never be mastered. It is the same on both sides. Yet another similarity of the Jedi and the Sith. 

The Jedi master was in one of the temple’s meditation rooms. Eye’s closed and breathing rhythmically. He focused his thoughts on the feelings he could remember experiencing in the dream.

Born into poverty, Aan Thoni had been set before the Jedi council at the age of eighteen months. Having shown early signs of recognition of objects, and a way of reflecting people’s emotions, his mother had hoped sending him with the Jedi would give him a better life. Having been abandoned by the father of her baby, rejected from her family for getting pregnant so young she had no way to care for the child. He had been tested and passed. He was accepted, and taken into the custody of the Jedi Order.  
He had black hair, and a slight reddish brown tint to his skin. He was tall. He had a black go tee flat teeth and brown eyes. He was full human from the central part of the planet (Hence the skin tone). He was fairly muscular, with a good physique. He had a strict but understanding upbringing. Strong with the force but no more so than any other student his age, he was placed under the guidance of Jedi knight Jauy Mee at the age of twelve.  
His first encounter with young JayCee was at the age of nineteen. His master had been sent to protect a diplomat from Alderaan and escort her safely to the planet Larekrak. Aan Thoni was given his first assignment by himself. Walking the streets of the Amacan sector, a lower-class housing block on Coruscant. He was tracking a gang responsible for a rash of thefts of Toshi station power converters imported from the planet Tatooine (known to be among the best in the galaxy). Having found their hideout, he planned and executed his attack on the gang strong hold with flawless calculation. 

One of the members of the so-called freedom group was running a diagnostic on the newly stolen merchandise. Waving a cordless monitor probe over the containers to ensure their quality, another meaner looking man, presumably the one in charge was arguing with an image coming out of a holoprojector. Other members were busying themselves with certain tasks, apparently getting ready to receive visitors. Aan bided his time, knowing he would get a bigger score if he waited for the buyers to meet with the sellers.  
“Remember patience.” His masters voice was in his head. “The slower you act the faster you act. Slow equals precision, precision equals speed. When your heart beats fast you begin to tremble, and lose dexterity. In the scramble of the moment, you let your mind race. You will focus on one thing to the exclusion of all others, not considering outside events leaves you vulnerable to those attacks that will come from the side. To the point of launching an attack, or escaping captivity do not be too eager to make your move. Five minutes from now may present a better opportunity than you currently have. Don’t let your excitement get the best of you. Remember to breathe and keep your composure at all times.”

He had done just that. Because of his patience, he could now bring down two groups instead of one. Watching the two groups converge through a ceiling window of the large commercial warehouse. He readied his light saber in his right hand, and made an arching gesture with his left. As he finished the gesture the lights in the warehouse turned off. The men armed their blasters looking around in confusion. Aan dropped from the ceiling igniting his yellow blade in surprise attack. The men opened fire at the falling figure only to be caught in a hail of returned laser bolts. The figure landed and disappeared. Popping up behind a group of gangsters he brought his blade in an upward strike, slicing off the gun hand of one of the criminals. Near several other men, he reached out with the force and sent a couple of them flying. Spinning around he kicked one man in the head knocking him over while simultaneously extending one hand using the force to knock over a large stack of crates pinning two more men underneath. Aside from dim light peering in from surrounding buildings, the inside of the warehouse was lit only by the reflections of red, and yellow blaster bolts and the yellow glow of Aan’s laser blade sword.

Without a look or reaction, he brought his light saber over his head and behind his back deflecting a blaster bolt to the opposite direction hitting the person who had fired it in the first place. A blast detonator landed on the floor next to him. Seeing this the advanced student of the Jedi turned off his light saber and put it back at his side. Holding both hands in front of him the detonator exploded sending off a large ball of flames and electric currents. Keeping his focus on the moment he contained the blast within his now outstretched arms, and thrusting his body forward with a jolt sending the shockwave of energy in the direction of the main doors destroying them. He whirled around light saber once again in hand. With a series of what looked like predetermined movements, he executed saber techniques and returned blaster fire almost as if this had been a choreographed fight. Like the force adept knew what was going to happen in advance. At times Aan Thoni’s Jedi weapon was in place to deflect a shot before the shot had even been fired. All the men having been subdued Aan lowered his guard. He was proclaiming them under arrest when a shudder ran up his spine.  
Something was behind him. He was suddenly pushed to the side as two blaster bolts lit up the dark room sailing for where he had just a second ago been standing. Before he could react, a figure jumped out from the shadows. Deflecting three more blaster bolts with almost Jedi like precision. The figure leaped through the air and brought his electric vibro blade strait through the last remaining gang member. 

“It’s not often someone saves a Jedi’s life. Thank you my friend.” He said waving his hand in the air turning the lights back on. The shadows receded to reveal a giant mess of toppled cargo containers, republic credits strewn all over the place, and the beaten, mostly still alive men. Standing no more than three feet away from him was a boy. No more than the age of eleven or so, slightly ripped and ragged clothing around his body, messy hair and a rather un kept look about him, Aan stepped forward. “Did you force push me out of the way?!” He said confused and slightly concerned.

“Yes.” Was the boys only response. “You are clearly not Jedi. Are you Sith?” Aan returned. “I’m neither. The Jedi order turned me away and the ways of the Sith have no interest for me.” “The force is with you none the less.” Aan said. “As much as it can be. I have no master. I only know what I’ve read in books. Instinct is my teacher.” Said JayCee. “Perhaps in return for saving your life you could show me the ways of the force.”

“That’s a pretty tall order. I’m not a Jedi yet so therefore can’t take an apprentice. Even if I could, you have been denied access to the temple, and training. It would never be allowed.” Was Aan’s response. “You don’t have to take me as an apprentice. Just teach me what you can…When you can.” JayCee returned.

“This is highly irregular. I could be denounced from the order, and you could be imprisoned.” Aan Thoni thought for a moment, “I am honor bound to repay the favor for saving my life.” He sank into thought. “This boy has unlocked the power of the force by will alone. If I could teach him to control his power, I may in time be able to bring him before the council and convince them to accept him into the Jedi ways.” His mind made up he agreed to teach young JayCee in secret. Whenever he could get away from the temple he would teach the boy what he knew. 

JayCee’s training started a week later. Aan focused on the basic elements of the force. Quieting his mind and attuning to the will of the force, strengthening his telekinesis abilities, Force sprinting, and jumping, saber techniques, as well as tactical abilities such as strategic battle formations, offensive strikes, and defensive maneuvers. While keeping reservations about teaching him the philosophy of the Jedi which may have been perceived as teaching him to be Jedi, he instilled in him the value of selflessness, and charity, sacrifice of the self for others, and using the force to serve others. Mind control was the one thing Aan would not teach him. Based on the thought that only one belonging to an order, with the proper motivation of good should possess that knowledge. It was Aan’s fear that JayCee would use the skill in his personal life to affect an outcome of his design. A Sith trait, not holding allegiance to the Jedi order there was no such mandate to prevent him from doing so.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship. Midi Chlorians are living beings. They live inside you, like immunities that protect you from illness do. They are the T-blood cells that connect your body with the force. They inject it into your system so to speak. You can separate the feelings. You can either focus the force externally while sensing the feelings or will of others internally, or you can focus the force internally to say gain control over one or many people while allowing the force to externally control your movements say for instance deflecting blaster fire.” The Jedi apprentice would often tell him during meditations and physical exercise. 

Weeks became months, months became years. Almost three and JayCee’s power had grown immensely. He had expressed interest in using the force to better his life. “With my force ability, I could influence those around me to do what I want them to do.” It was a statement Aan knew was coming. “The use of the force is a gift bestowed to very few throughout the galaxy. It is our job to ensure the free will of others. Not to make them our subordinates.” He answered. “What if the free will of some would seek to make others their subordinates. Is it not our job then to preempt that attempt?” JayCee debated. “The ability to foresee the actions of others does not give us the right to act. To see what a person is going to do does not mean that is what they will do.” The soon to be Jedi knight told him. Seeing JayCee’s look of confusion prompted further explanation. “Free will determines that everyone has the right to make their own choices. Think of it this way. You see two people in an argument. Based on the outcome of that argument you can say ‘That person is going to do something bad to the other.’ Now, you may be right. But given time, that person may have a change of heart and decide that a peaceful solution would be better. Free will gives us the ability to do as we please, but it also gives us the ability to change our minds. The way you would act in the moment may be completely different from the way you would act three days later. It is not for us to determine which is right or wrong.”  
JayCee thought on this for a moment. “What about the Jedi. You roam the galaxy fighting for peace and justice. You take certain actions to avoid war. Isn’t what you just told me a contradiction to the actions of the Jedi?” JayCee’s quick wit was astounding. “Such little effort to come to such grand conclusions.” Aan thought. “Truly a natural force user.” He quickly replied “We do not take it upon ourselves to intervene. We act only by the request of others. Some star systems are stronger than others. When the little guy is overwhelmed he reaches out for aid from another with the ability to level the playing field. We do not force an agreement. We simply balance the power of the opposing sides. Whatever agreement, treaties, or contracts that become of the dispute is left to the original parties involved.”

With that JayCee silenced himself. Having learned enough to know when to let an issue drop. Aan was as wise as he was strong. JayCee was truly grateful to be learning from him. 

Time went on and Aan was granted the rank of Jedi knight. He chose to take service in the temple to keep an eye on JayCee and continue his training. He had talked to Jauy Mee about taking on the boy as his student.  
“I am not an ignorant person Aan. I know you have been sneaking out, and disobeying the mandate to stay within the Jedi complex always. You have done a good job concealing your motivations from me, perhaps a testament to how powerful you have become. I am no longer your master but I would ask that you be truthful with me now.” Jauy said to Aan as they walked through the main courtyard garden of the Jedi compound. “If you knew, why didn’t you say anything?” Aan asked in response. To which Jauy answered “I didn’t always know. I figured out that you would mainly do it when we were separated. The council would send me off on assignment to give you space to grow on your own. I guess in a way you did. I was suspicious about you going on errands, or there was the time you were sent to recover the information discs that were stolen from the senate archives. An assignment that should have taken a few days took a few weeks. You had no communication with me or the council, and upon your return had a somewhat flimsy story about a broken comlink, and an underground mercenary ring. I knew you were lying since Jedi don’t need comlinks to communicate with each other. A fact I think you may have overlooked. But the fact that neither I nor the council could reveal your true thoughts on the matter made it difficult. I never said anything because you were an advanced student and must be allowed to forge your own path. However, now I sense that whatever it is, is weighing on your mind. Let me help you, my former apprentice.”

With that Aan was compelled by his feelings and revealed everything. His secret training of JayCee, and his concerns for what will become of himself should the council ever find out. Passing through Aan’s favorite part of the garden, Huge twenty-foot-tall almost hedge like plants set in a row on both sides of the pathway, leading down the middle of a large well maintained grass field. The “Maddy’s” as they had been nicknamed came in a variety of colors, brilliant twists on what would be considered hot pink, blazing yellow, orange, blue, and white. Aan loved this part of the garden because in the late summer afternoon sunlight would shine right through the transparent glass like leaves, causing a kaleidoscope of colors. The breeze would blow through the leaves causing the colors to form little dancing images that contrasted beautifully against the sharp green grass. They were considered the most beautiful plants in the universe.  
“I think probably you should forget the boy. Remember your lessons about attachment. It was the will of the force that you crossed paths with this person. You say that you only taught him the force. But not the philosophy of our order. Perhaps it is the will of the force that this boy become a business man, or contractor of some sort, using his abilities, for the good of living kind. He wouldn’t be the first semi force user out there.” Was Juay’s advice.

“What of the possibility that he could turn to the dark side?” Aan asked. To which Jauy replied “The risk of him turning to the dark side is no more than any other. Even Jedi have been seduced by its power. If it is the will of the force to temp him than the decision is his alone.”

Jauy had given him much to think about. After much meditation, Aan decided that he must cut off contact with JayCee. He had taught him to use the force, he had repaid his debt for having his life saved, it was time now to continue his life, and leave JayCee to his. A dispute had broken out in the Mustifar system. The price of metal ore had been increased yet again, and a trade embargo had been placed around the moon until the trade federation was given immunity to further price hikes. Aan was sent with his former master as well as Jedi knight Hmaar to resolve the matter. 

In the months, they spent tracking the source of the price spikes for metal ore, Aan had spent a lot of time in meditation. Focusing on JayCee he had conclude that he must continue his friendship with the teenager, if only to help guide him on the right path. One day while infiltrating the trade federation flagship a battle on the bridge had broken out. In the struggle, the main control panel for the power generators had been destroyed causing an overload in the main power systems.  
The ship was destroyed and all hands reported lost. News of the Jedi’s death reached Coruscant and a funeral procession was held in their honor.

Aan, having escaped the blast in a small escape pod was now adrift in space. Lost and alone. His food rations had run out and he had spent a week in meditation using the force to sustain his life until he was finally picked up by a freighter and rescued. He was eager to get back to his home world and search out his friend. After weeks of searching Coruscant he had concluded that upon completing his higher education had left the planet to start his life. Until the night their paths crossed. That night…That changed everything forever.

Waking from his meditation his mind was made up. He would seek out the source of his dream. Having a feeling he would find both JayCee and Hekk Taur known also as Dark lord Kifo. It was likely he rushed to his end. “If that be my destiny, then so be it.” He thought to himself as he left the meditation room. After getting permission from the council he left on his journey.

 

 

 

CHAPTER FOUR

 

The flames of coming through the planet’s atmosphere subsided and revealed the most incredible sight he had ever seen! Massive thousand story buildings, stacked rows of flying vehicles. Lights and sounds coming from all directions. Stepping off the landing ramp he was assaulted by more species of being than he knew existed. Bombarded by thoughts and feelings, he felt as though he were connected to every living thing that came near him. “This is my new home!?” He thought to himself horrified. 

The eight-year-old boy had been able to confine himself for the most part. Aside from school, and the small settlements of his home world, he kept himself in solitude. The ability to sense the smallest feelings from the smallest creatures was a torment to the child. It had come in handy at times, knowing what people are thinking. But all the thoughts in his head from other people left little room for thoughts of his own. Now on this planet, easily twenty times the size of his home planet Mandalore. With a population of hundreds of billions as opposed to tens of millions would pose a whole new problem. “How will I ever learn to filter out this many voices!” 

His friend Hekk Taur had begun to show him how to shield his mind. However, it had been cut short when his father forbade them from speaking and moved him halfway across the galaxy. Now it seemed his problems had only grown. He discovered at an early age, he had the ability to not only read the minds of others, but to a point could influence them as well. Though not strong enough to get out of going to lower education, or being able to prevent his family from moving away, he was however able to attain smaller victories, such as free food, or toys, candy whenever he wanted, or no bedtime. The usual goals of a six-year-old. As he grew older his perceptions grew as well. He possessed the ability to receive and transmit thoughts, but not the ability to turn it on or off, or control which thoughts of other people entered his mind. 

He discovered however that getting into trouble got him separated from everyone in punishment. It was only in this solitude that he found peace. So, he began acting out, and purposely causing mischief. It was by happenstance that one day he came across a man in a black robe. Sensing that he was like himself sought to learn from this man. He attempted to steal from him with the intention of getting caught. Once he had caught the man in his trap he would attempt to use his mind power to influence him. It worked! What Hekk taught him had helped. “It’s not a problem. It is a gift…A gift of great power. But you must learn to control it or it will end up controlling you. Your mind is like an open receiver. Picking up every wavelength out there. It’s not a matter of turning it on or off but controlling the volume. I will teach you to quiet your mind to everything except what you want to hear.”

JayCee wanting to push his limits and see how far he could take his mind powers, pushed the man to teach him other things as well. He had heard stories of great warriors with fantastic powers. Suspecting he might be one of them, and knowing this man was one as well, sought to learn everything he could. To his dismay one of the main things Hekk instilled in him was the importance of education. “I know it’s boring and you hate it but schooling gives you the skills to sharpen your intellect, much the same way as I am teaching you to sharpen your other skills.” Hekk had told him.  
As much as he hated to hear this he knew he was right. Then came the day when his father moved him away trying to sever his contact with the only person who understood him. It was the last authorative action his father ever took with him. The anger he felt at leaving his home unlocked a new strength with his ability to influence the minds of others. He would allow his parents to make certain decisions to keep the mirage that they had control. In reality if he wanted to go somewhere, he went, if he wanted to do something, he did it. It took only the wave of his hand to put his parents under his control. 

It was on his new home he learned the difference between Jedi and Sith. He had learned the Jedi acted to save the galaxy, the Sith acted to enslave it. He also realized Hekk Taur, his friend in black robes, was one of the bad guys! He didn’t seem like a bad guy. He was nice to him and friendly. “Or was it my influence over him?” he wondered. “But how could I have that kind of power over one of these warriors?” The force was the force to JayCee. He knew nothing of the difference between the two sides and he didn’t care. He just wanted to learn to control the constant voices in his head.  
He influenced his parents to take him before the Jedi council. Supposedly the good guys. Their headquarters was here on this planet too. He figured of all the places to go this was the most logical choice.  
“I’m sorry, but you are not to be accepted into the order.” One of the acquisitions council members told him. “Why not? I don’t understand.” He said with anger in his voice. To which another Jedi master responded “That right there. The anger in your voice gives you away.” Yet another Master spoke up “Do you know why there is an age cut off for joining the Jedi order? Emotions. Certain emotions foster positivity, while others foster negativity. After a certain age emotions take root. Such as in your case. Anger, and selfishness, we sense in you. Not trait’s the Jedi admire.”  
“So, teach me to suppress those feelings. The selfishness I feel is wanting to serve a higher order. I have the force! Teach me to use it!” JayCee again said in anger. “Suppression of emotion is never good. It can well inside you for years and become an adversary. One that could strike at any time. Coming back with such overflowing power that it could destroy you. You are young, the force will leave you in time. When that happens the voices and emotions of others will also leave you.” Said a fourth master. “And in the meantime, you would leave me to suffer.” JayCee’s anger was beginning to well up and the Jedi could sense it. Yet another of the council spoke rather sternly “You will not take that tone with us! Five thousand years this temple has stood! It is not your place to reprimand us! The force will leave you in time, and as for your unresolved anger I suggest a good therapist!”

JayCee looked at the Jedi and sneered. “Is that anger I sense…Master Jedi.” With that he turned and left the temple. “This is not something that will just go away in time. What am I going to do? I must learn to control this or I might go crazy!” Were his thoughts as he exited the main doors. He thought to use his mind powers to influence them, but knew they were entirely too strong to fall for it. However, they mentioned they “could see through him.” That his “Thoughts were revealed.” Yet they were unable to detect the presence of the dark side in him, the fact that he had learned from a Sith was lost on them. “I was able to mind trick a Sith into teaching me. I could conceal that fact from the entire Jedi acquisition chamber. Is that normal? Am I a freak?” 

Certain literature had been released to the public about the force. People would have adventures with them or something then write stories about their history. The first and second Sith wars, the battle at Ruusitan, etc. It was only natural that some of their teachings and philosophies should leak out as well.  
“I have had previous training in the force already. Could I be able to at least become strong enough to silence the noise in my head on my own?” It was a question worth exploring. When he wasn’t in classes he was submersed in study of the force. What little information was available was studied, pondered, read and re read. For two years, he soaked up every bit of information he could. Both Jedi and Sith legends. Heroes, and villains from both sides colored his imagination. The more he studied the more he noticed the striking similarities between the two. For instance, they both believe they are serving the greater good! 

“It seems to me under the control of the Jedi, free trade would be a right to all planets and star systems, free enterprise and commercialism would flourish, people would have the right to openly express themselves, and each planet would be granted its own individuality, religions, and customs. However, that would encourage disagreements in beliefs, and racism, disputes in trading costs between star systems, larger more powerful corporations would dominate and destroy smaller weaker ones causing poverty, all of which causing people to take sides…and make war.  
Under the control of the Sith. Trade would be controlled and monitored, Corporations would be controlled by a supervising entity, People would not be allowed to express individual thoughts or ideas, and all systems would be placed under an umbrella of unified customs and religions. But the system would eliminate trading disputes, corporate conglomeration, violence based on religious or racist arguments. Everybody would be on the same side. Eliminating the need for war.  
They both have pros and cons. Each system of thought is equally effective and defective. It is my opinion that neither the Sith or the Jedi are right.” 

When he wasn’t contemplating the philosophy of what he was beginning to consider the blind view of both sides of the force, he spent most of his time in meditation attempting to quiet his mind to the rest of the world and its noise. He kept up on the sword training, and telekinesis abilities he had learned from Hekk Taur. One of the things he found most interesting about the force was the fact that no powers were exclusive to one side or another. 

 

Both sides had the power for accelerated speed, the ability to run very, very fast. Both sides can use the force to propel themselves to jump to incredible heights. Both sides can use the force to slow descent, allowing them to jump from incredible heights and land safely on the ground. Both sides possessed the power to influence the minds of others. Both sides could levitate, push, or pull inanimate objects. Both sides are empathic and can sense the feelings of others. Both sides have reflexes that border on precognition. Both had the ability to heal themselves, a difference however was that the Jedi heal themselves by will of the force alone, whereas the Sith could only heal by taking life energy from others. The Sith can summon force lightning. The only way to access that power however is to use anger. The Jedi refusing to give into such emotions don’t use it. It’s not that they can’t, it’s just that they won’t.  
There are individual gifts bestowed upon some force users. Amplified versions of standard powers.  
Some can mind trick droids, some can mind trick multiple people, some can mind trick people from across space as long as there is an open communication line between them, while others could mind trick even strong minded people such as other Jedi or Sith. “That must be my special ability.” He commented in his head as he studied.  
Some Sith can summon red or yellow lightning, a much stronger version of the standard blue.  
Some force users can use telekinesis abilities through space. Again, if there’s an open line of communication.  
If there are any other special abilities, they were not mentioned in any of the books available. He did know that this was extremely rare. It’s mentioned that only the strongest of either side have these amplified abilities, like the story of Jedi master Yarel Poof who could make himself invisible in the minds of others and project images in their mind of beings that aren’t there. However, power like that is not automatically given to each and every student of the force. You must earn it; the force must deem you worthy of such strength. “So why do I have such ability? I have done nothing. No training, no devoting myself to any ideals, just a natural gift?” He wondered to himself.

He had gone as far as he could by himself. He had read every book, holonet record, and other piece of information he could get. He needed someone to teach him now. Perhaps he could trick a Jedi into helping him. Still nervous about his effectiveness to use mind tricks on a fully trained Jedi knight, he determined tricking a Padawan would be easier, and probably safer. If it didn’t work a padawan would probably be easier to defeat…If it came to that. He searched for one. Not sure where to start looking he began by simply walking around opening his feelings, trying to sense the force in people like he had done with Hekk.

It seemed most obvious to start near the temple. He spent days walking around the outer grounds when he learned that as training for padawans to get experience, working alone with only the force as his ally the Jedi would lend them to local peace keeping agencies. Law enforcement, riot control, armored response, and so on. The idea was to give them real life experience without going too far away. Being on the same planet as the Jedi Temple they could summon help more easily. After weeks of searching he finally found one who interested him. Young padawan Aan Thoni. Fast, strong, smart, with a friendly demeanor he seemed like the kind of guy JayCee would like. He followed him as Aan tracked a group of thief’s and smugglers responsible for a spree of Tattooinian power converter thefts. Quality stuff for such a desolate outer rim wasteland. It was responsible for a lot of the planets income. But due to the small populations (Mostly slaves) and the distance between the worlds. Coruscant being in the core, and Tatooine in the outer rim. Inside what was now suddenly beginning to be known as the “Hutt” Territory? Transporting the goods along the Hydian way trade route wasn’t cheap. Making these a very high priced item around these parts.

 

 

 

CHAPTER FIVE

 

It didn’t take the Jedi apprentice very long to discover their base. JayCee was impressed when his soon to be teacher realized to wait for the other party to arrive. Something he himself wouldn’t have thought of.  
Watching the battle within the warehouse, was exhilarating! Reading stories and watching holo recordings was nothing compared to this! Aan Thoni’s bright yellow blade was trance like as it waved through the dark. Leaving a short tracer of light through the air after each strike. Even though it was dark, aside from reflections of the sword and scattered blaster fire, JayCee could sense everything going on in the room. The presence of each person. Where they were and what they were about to do.  
The Young Jedi hopeful had let his guard down too early. This was his moment to reveal himself. Readying his single side vibro blade he jumped into action. Force pushing Aan to the side he leapt forward and sliced open the gangster’s chest. He fell to the ground and JayCee turned to face the Jedi. 

“It’s not every day that somebody saves a Jedi’s life. Thank you my friend.” Aan said. As JayCee was talking to the man trying to convince him to train him. He squinted his eyes and focused his thoughts trying to imagine the area of Aan’s brain that influenced thought glowing under the power of JayCee’s will. Success! Aan had agreed to help him. Starting in just a few short days he would be able to access a more direct source to answer his questions. 

It wasn’t JayCee’s intention to enslave Aan or take advantage of him. There was no maliciousness in his actions. He simply needed a little more help to learn to control his overwhelming sense of others. Aan to him at the time was nothing more than a means to an end. 

Training began and he learned the ways of the force. Aan taught him the techniques of quieting his mind. The art of meditation, and the physical use of the force. “Think of it like this. If you are the force, and the force is you. And if you are connected to everything, and everything is connected to you, then it becomes nothing more than you extending yourself astraly.” He waved his hand in the air. “What is here?” He asked “Nothing?” He paused. “Air…Gravity…Magnetic fields…even electricity. All these things are physical matter. Very light physical matter, but physical none the less. When you learn to reach out with your feelings, to physically connect even with inanimate objects you can make physical contact with them. You literally feel it in your hand or with your mind. You feel it’s texture, it’s weight, it’s shape and dimensions. Causing it to move is simply.” As he said this he put his hand against a glass and pushed it across the surface of a table. “Nothing more than sliding that object across the physical surface of space itself. So, in effect it’s not levitation at all.”

He was also learning to block the thoughts and emotions of others around him. He learned to create a sort of force field around him that repelled those wavelengths. It was tedious and difficult. He had to concentrate all his focus and energy on this act alone. Leaving him clumsy, and inattentive to everything else around him. One time he was walking down the street he didn’t notice a stop signal at a crossway and almost got hit by a delivery vehicle. It was impossible to focus in school, some of his classes he only passed because he influenced his teachers to raise his grade. 

Not wanting his new teacher to know of his contact with Hekk he learned the first two stages of light saber training from Aan. Even though he already knew them. The third level of light saber combat training is:

Soersu: Defensive deflection techniques. Using the blade of the light saber to deflect energy blasts in a neutral area. The wall, ceiling, or floor generally. Defensive deflection is purposed to avoid damage to yourself without putting innocent people in the laser bolts new trajectory.  
To pass this level Aan set up five dummies in a small part of an abandoned warehouse in the wrecked rural area they trained in. Then set out ten hovering seeker droids set to stun. JayCee had to last for twenty minutes against the droids. Twenty minutes simulated waiting for backup, he could not get hit. One hit was a failure. No one else could get hit. Contact to a dummy was failure. It took JayCee five months to pass this level.

The fourth level of saber training was:

Ataru: Ariel techniques. Flying kicks mixed with sword swings, flips, sword throws, and other moves that involved being off the ground.  
To pass this level Aan set up targets on the ceiling of one of the twenty foot rooms of a factory in the south end of the old industrial lands. He set up low set mini turrets, mid-level mini turrets, and mounted security monitors, there were targets set up on the walls and on the floors. JayCee had to jump in the air to avoid the ground turrets, and deflect laser fire, he was only allowed to use arial attacks to destroy the targets. Or he could throw his vibro blade to take out the fake security monitors. The targets on the ground had to be taken out by slicing through it with his sword while flipping through the air. It took JayCee seven months to pass this level. 

Jedi are not the only people who use training droids, and remotes, so finding equipment was easy. The floating remotes fired stun beams at random. Getting hit meant that body part going numb for hours. Every time JayCee was hit he had to stop and practice using the healing arts of the force to bring feeling back, then continue. JayCee was able to get Aan to teach him some of the final learning stages early.

Niman: This is the sixth and final level of saber training that focused on force guided movement. Letting go your conscious self and letting the force control your actions.  
To pass this level you must combine all the previous levels of training, blind, you must fight your way through a space or building, whatever is determined by using only the force as your guide. You are graded based on how many times you get hit, how many dummies “Die”, how many droids are destroyed, and how fast you do it. Sith and Jedi both have different styles to using Niman. Two different philosophies bring two different methods of movement. It took the rest of his training to finally pass this level for the Jedi. 

Still with Another level of saber techniques to learn before getting to this stage JayCee was jumping the gun a bit. It was a beautiful, fluid style. Everything was one fluid movement. If you brought your sword up in front of you, you finish the motion bringing it back to your side. Aan and Jaycee would stand side to side bringing their swords, (Aan with his yellow light saber and JayCee with his Vibro blade.) sideways up in front of them, step to the right bringing the sword in a half circle to the left, then down to their sides, step back swinging the blade down by their knees and with a slow forward step brought the sword in an upward strike in front of them. Then turning, they swung in a fan motion, then spun the sword in a small circle, passed it behind their backs, switched hands, came back to the front, and ended with a wide stance with the feet, bending at the knees, arms tight into their bodies brought back to the right shoulder, blades facing straight up.  
Everything executed without ever stopping the fluid motions. “It’s the philosophy that there should be no wasted movement. No action without cause. Once the blade is set in motion every strike, every block, and every stance are all considered one giant movement. Stopping motion cuts off the circuit of energy.” Aan taught JayCee. The other part of the Niman sword technique is using your sword without sight. He was blind folded and taught to press out with his intuition and “Sense” movement around you. This was like what he experienced at the warehouse where he first met his teacher. “Your eyes can deceive you don’t trust them. Let go your conscious self and let the force guide your body.” Aan had said.

A bit impetuous he wanted to learn as fast as he could. It had been about a year and a half of scattered training. JayCee busy finishing lower education, Aan having his own responsibilities with his own training made it difficult to get together at times. Weeks, even a month or two would go by without them having any contact. JayCee didn’t need Aan for everything. His solo training was just as important. 

JayCee was getting better at moving objects with his mind, he still had to concentrate immensely on consciously repelling other people’s energy but was coming with less effort.  
The next phase of telekinesis ability was focusing on specific elements. “Say you want to push a button to select a number for something. Reach out and connect yourself with the control pad, visualize the numbers in sequence, and imagine the button with the number symbol you have in your mind on it pressing down. It requires more focus than simply lifting or moving an object. It’s the same when you want to activate or deactivate something. To start a starship, you close your eyes and imagine the ignition switch sparking, to deactivate a droid you simply imagine the main servo circuit switching itself off. Don’t be intimidated by the size of an object, focus on the smaller chain reactions that cause the effect. You can cut power to an entire city simply by mentally causing the main power button of the electrical station to turn itself off. Even the smallest movements can cause tidal waves of reactions.”  
This proved to be harder than originally thought. Moving objects was one thing, but this required a visual of what was being influenced. It didn’t have to be exact, but it did at least have to resemble the object in mind. A key pad had to look like a keypad, an internal ignition switch had to look like just that, etc. JayCee noticed he ended up spending quite a lot of time studying different manuals on various things like droid models, starship, star cruiser, and star fighter models, electrical components of turbo lift operators, different types of control panels and their functions, inner door latching mechanisms, and so on. The more information he had the better he could visualize or guess the visualization that was necessary.

As JayCee grew stronger with the force he could use it in greater capacities. While studying alone on another of their training hiatuses. Some of the force gifts were revealing themselves to him. Just like both Hekk and Aan had told him. They had both said “When you learn the fundamentals of the force, and have acquired enough experience in feeling the force, certain abilities will happen naturally. You will never have tried say force jumping yet you will be able to do it as a natural reflex. Without effort. It then becomes the job of the teacher not necessarily to teach that particular action, but to help refine and sharpen that skill, as well as show other ways to use it that the student might not have thought of.” 

It had now been a little over two years since JayCee had first started his lessons. Now thirteen just starting middle education. He was quiet and kept to himself. He was much better at tuning out the voices now, and learning to choose whose thoughts to let in and whose to repel. It still required effort but was becoming a reflex. He didn’t have any friends. His lessons from Aan about attachment kept in his mind. There were people he talked to and was friendly with but none that he would consider a friend. Middle education was no different from lower. The facility was bigger, there were a lot more people, but not too bad. It was more boring than Hoth on a winter day and several times he wanted to just stop going. But Hekks voice rang in his head about sharpening your intellect. Even though he didn’t understand how history lessons were going to do that.  
He often thought about using his mind powers to get friends, or go on a date, or make himself voted “Most popular” in the years’ record book. There was a girl JayCee kind of had a crush on. He was becoming a teenager and other natural issues were having to be addressed too. He had talked to Aan once about it and remembers a conversation they had about not inhibiting free will. Mind tricks were one thing that Aan would not teach. Believing that only a trained Jedi with the right motivations should use such powers. JayCee didn’t push the issue since that was an area that he clearly needed no help in.

In the two and a half months that Aan was away he had improved his healing abilities, and become faster in his sword techniques. When the Jedi padawan returned, he was thrilled at the progress he had made. Aan was coming around less and less. JayCee realized his mind power was limited. It would seem that the more time someone with a strong mind such as a Jedi was around him the less influence he had. As though the person were building a tolerance to his power. He knew it was only a matter of time before his training would have to end. The next six months were spent in on and off contact as usual. Aan had passed the Jedi trials and was now a knight. 

Now almost three years after their first meeting they said goodbye. JayCee knew with Aan’s new title he wouldn’t have time anymore to teach him anything else. Which was just as well. JayCee didn’t know how much longer he could keep influencing his friend. With little left to learn of the Jedi ways he felt it was time to move on as well. Aan was called away to settle a dispute on Mustifar and JayCee went back to continuing his education.

 

 

CHAPTER SIX

 

In the weeks following Aan’s departure JayCee felt as though he should test himself. Remembering what Aan was doing when they first met he decided to follow suit. He was going to find a group of thieves, or a gang, or something to that nature and stop it. Not serving the Jedi or any local authorities he would have to bring them to vigilante justice instead. 

Now fourteen about the same age some Jedi padawans are set to do certain local tasks very close the temple. He would have to find what he was going to do. Increasing his field of “People sense” as he had come to call it, to a large radius finding criminals wasn't hard. It took him all of an hour to sense a man with a bad attitude. Catching JayCee’s attention he searched his mind and found out he was part of an assassin group that had been hired to kill a local group of dignitaries from some huge corporation. He followed the man for a few days, learned where they were located, how many accomplices he had. One was a gangly thin looking humanoid with green skin, and large eyes on a small head. Another as far as he could tell was a female. She had a firm yet slender body, clawed hands, curved bone spikes sticking six inches out of her elbows, a short two-foot tail, clawed feet that didn’t wear shoes, but there was no indication of sex. JayCee knew she was female by sensing her energy.  
The last one was an insect looking creature with slimy brown skin, six eyes’ around its head, four arms, and wings hidden under his clothes. They were a motley group of low end mercenaries who happen to catch a break. Sort of. 

The transport was under way. The dignitaries were enroute to a meeting in the three hundred thirty seventh floor. A secret convening of some sort taking place in the Maneena district. The mercenary crew was positioned and so was JayCee. As the transport came around the corner of the sky lane six hundred feet in the air. Two of the crew were floating on the side way waiting for it pass by. JayCee was positioned behind them using a force blind side technique. It’s not an open mind trick just lightly blinding the peripheral and angular vision of a person.  
Using the force, he focused on the throttle of the first speeder. He imagined the power quadrant connectors glow under the power of the force and short out. He then turned to the second vehicle and did the same thing. The fact that they didn’t go anywhere told JayCee that it worked. He took off after the dignitary vessel, following far behind to not attract attention. He didn’t need to be too close. He knew where they were going. Over hearing previous talks about how the other two were waiting at the building entrance. The first two were supposed to follow the transport and hit it with one scud bomb each. The other two were positioned at the hit point to make sure none got out of the vehicle alive.  
Using the force, he could sense where they were. They had obviously been in contact with each other and formulated a new plan. Landing at the entrance he left his hover bike and camouflaged himself in the crowd. He could read the minds of the killers. They planned to follow him up to his room. Focusing his thoughts, he centered on the head dignitary. Through his eyes, he caught the vague image of the numbers one, four, six, eight, two. It was a conference room number. JayCee opened his eyes and looked up the location of the room on a holo map of the building. Using his manipulation of the mind on one person at a time he moved through the crowd. All any of these people needed was a simple push in a direction to move aside. He could go from one single person to another pretty fast. He raced to the room, holding his hand out visualizing the sliders on the merdale material doors sliding open. He concealed himself in the shadows and waited for his guests. 

The doors opened and the lights came on. Six elegantly robed figures entered the room followed by one more who’s decoration clearly showed he was the one in charge. No sooner had they sat than the doors blew open and the female and insect looking man charged in blasting their weapons. JayCee ignited his vibro blade and jumped into action. He deflected all the blaster fire, out into neutral angles, used the Ataru technique to fly into the air flipping and dodging further blasts. Landing, he force pushed the female back onto the floor. Swinging around in a small circle he clipped off the end of the insect creatures gun, and with a backward spin kick knocked him to the floor unconscious. He turned his attention on the woman who had regained her footing. Pulling out a vibro blade of her own they began to duel. JayCee stepped in with a forward slash and brought the blade down below his waist. Turning to the side he brought his sword at his side blade facing straight down deflecting a blow. He returned with a low strike to the legs. She jumped over it kicking JayCee in the face knocking him back. She landed and came at his head with a pummeling downward strike. JayCee waved his hand upward using the force to guide the blade up. As it did it brought her arms up leaving her open to attack. JayCee saw this. Putting his whole body behind it double punched her chest sending a shockwave of energy through her mid-section. 

JayCee turned his head as she went crashing to the floor. He could sense the arrival of the other two. He turned and faced the door awaiting his assailants. He felt good! Better than he had ever felt in his life! Training with Aan was one thing but he never got to practice with anyone else. Plus, no matter how tough Aan had been on him he knew he would never hurt him. This was real. Suddenly he became very afraid. “What the hell am I doing!!!! If this goes bad I have no one to help me. These people will kill me. What if I’m not strong enough!!! Look at what you’ve done so far. Don’t doubt yourself now. The force is my ally. I shall draw strength upon that.” He opened his eye’s sensing the two men about to enter the room. There was an exotic thrill to what he was doing. The power he felt coursing through him. For the first time, he truly caught a glimpse of what it feels like to use the force!! There was something about battling and beating these people up that gave him satisfaction. He was empowered by the fact that he was doing good. He was saving the lives of innocent people, but it was something more than that. Something… elusive.

As the other two men entered the room one of them was caught in a force grip. Something Aan had not taught him but one of the tricks he had learned on his own. Known as a Sith trait it was extremely effective in lifting and containing one of the men when he brought his vibro blade out and took off the others left leg at the knee. The man in the force grip had passed out and been tossed across the room. JayCee lifted the one-legged remainder of the would-be assassins group. He put his hand to his head and closed his eyes. A second later the man passed out and was dropped on the floor. He then put his hand out and waved it down activating the security alarm. 

Before the dignitaries or any other witnesses could approach him, he used his accelerated speed to make his escape. Returning home, he meditated on the events of the evening with a deep sense of pride.  
He wanted to explore this new feeling a little further but tricking a Sith he could tell would be very difficult. Perhaps contacting his friend Hekk. Remembering what his energy felt like he thought he might be able to contact him through space using the force. Though it was highly unlikely he would succeed. That would take a lot of energy. 

Over the next few weeks whenever JayCee would wake up or go to bed he would meditate for an hour pushing his energy as far as it could go. He imagined his energy being sent out like communication waves traveling through space. He would slow his breathing and project the thought “Hekk Taur. Coruscant, training JayCee.” Over and over in his mind. While doing this, he would imagine Hekk Taur receiving the message, flying in a ship through space and their actual meeting.

It worked! After about six weeks of meditation JayCee was at the Megaplexion. A giant building filled with stores, food vendors, holographic games, and a section where you could see a holostory. A story recorded using actors, then projected by holograph on a six-foot-deep stage with a special background cloth. He was enjoying the holostory when he got a feeling in his stomach and spine. He felt as though a person had come and sat next to him. A familiar feeling of someone he knew. He got up and left the dark room. 

It was later that night when he got a sense of a message. ‘meet with me.” It seemed to say. He was sure it was Hekk. He followed the energy through the city. About ten Miles from his house in a park stood his acquaintance from long ago. “My friend!” Hekk said as JayCee approached. They talked for a few minutes. JayCee did the same thing to his new teacher as he had done with the last. Squinted his eyes and imagined the part of Hekks brain that controls thought glowing under JayCee’s influence.  
Nervous as he was at doing this. Hekk was a Darth now. His mind was strong. Plus, he has had previous exposure to his mind power. What if it didn’t work? How long could he keep him under his influence? What would happen if it fades and he figures out what JayCee was doing? Were all questions JayCee had asked himself from the beginning, but he didn’t see any other way. If he was going to learn the force it had to be this way. “Tread carefully. Take it slow…Don’t push too hard to too fast.” He would tell himself.

They agreed to train together and JayCee’s education in the dark side began. He shared what he knew of the force already with his new mentor. “Perhaps training with the Jedi hasn’t been a complete waste of time after all.” Hekk commented.

One of the things lacking in JayCee’s training was the fifth Light saber training level.

Shien: Offensive deflection. Same principles as Soresu as far as deflection, with the difference lying in focusing the projectile either back to the firer, or say using angled deflection you could bounce a blaster bolt up towards a ceiling mounted turret gun, or security monitor. You could deflect a plasma blast in any direction at any other person in the area.  
To pass this level Hekk had set up several wall mounted mini turrets, floating remote droids, and various sizes of ground droids. JayCee had to make it through an entire abandoned microprocessor plant using only deflections. He had to destroy every single droid and not get hit once. It took him a year to pass this level. 

“A master of this technique could face one hundred foes simply by redirecting their fire back at them. He need not ever physically fight them.”

Learning to expand his mind to feel the presence of others was difficult at first using only droids. However, he soon learned to distinguish between living force energy and electrical fields of power units. He learned how the difference between half an inch in the angle of deflection could mean the difference of up to twelve feet in width over a fifteen-foot expanse. JayCee was suddenly glad he was taking math in his education class. He was starting to see what Hekk was talking about back on Molovar. 

Hekk helped JayCee sharpen his force skills in burst of speed, and force jump. A few techniques JayCee had not learned was Far sight. The ability to enhance your eyesight, to focus in on distant images, also known as “Predator vision” it allowed the person to sense events happening within a planets radius, or catch small glimpses of future events. The skill dark force heal was also added to his repertoire of abilities. By making physical contact with a living creature you can connect yourself with it through the force and absorb its living force. Many small animals died in the process of JayCee learning this ability, but such was the cost of the dark side.

Hekk would take him to the city and high atop the buildings, Hekk taught JayCee to start with using his emotional connections to people to feel them on the ground then try to see if he could adjust his vision to focus on that person. Once he could do that he would focus on different droids, buildings, windows, he would focus in on windows of buildings, blocks away and watch what was happening behind them. He would watch arguments and make up the words of what they would be saying, or watch people having a party, or even couples having sex. He learned a few new things from this. It had been a year training with Hekk so far and his progress was steady.  
JayCee had been re contemplating his thoughts to use the force to help him in school. When he addressed his dark teacher about it he received nothing but praise. “Go my student. Nothing would be better to practice your ability to manipulate than with your classmates. Do what you will with them. Make your empire amongst them great!”

So, different this was! JayCee was loving this! Aan had always told him not to take advantage of people, now he was being encouraged to! JayCee was becoming nervous. They had spent a lot of time together over the last year. Spaces of weeks had gone by that Hekk had left Coruscant to keep a low profile with the Jedi. But he felt while he was using the dark side to manipulate his classmates Hekk should leave for a bit.

As luck, would have it Hekk received a transmission calling for more Sith along the Corellian run. “I understand that you have to go. You still have your business to attend to.” JayCee said practicing with his vibro blade. “You should come with me. Let me show you what we do.” Hekk replied.  
“It was you who told me about the importance of my education. Besides this is good timing. While you’re gone, I’ll practice my manipulation skills at higher education. When you come back I’ll be ready for the next phase of my training.”

This convinced Hekk, and three days later he left to reinforce his fellow Sith. JayCee in the meantime now sixteen and just starting higher education was about to break out of his shell. There was a new sheriff in town and he was gonna shake things up. His first task was Mirashaal. A beautiful sixteen-year-old Fondorian human. One day at the education facility JayCee walked up to her locker, waved his hand and said hello. “Hello.” She said back with a smile. JayCee looked her in the eye’s “You want to go out sometime?” He asked. She looked bashfully at him and said yes. They were laughing and giggling to each other when her boyfriend walked up. “Is this a private conversation or can I join in?” As he said this he stepped right in between the two facing JayCee. “He was just asking me to help him with his locker! Relax!” Mirashaal said tugging her boyfriend’s shoulder. He shook her off and squared himself in front of JayCee. “Maybe you should find someone else to help you.” He said with a sneer. JayCee looked the six-foot-tall teenager from bottom to top and said “Don’t like me talkin to your girl? Do something about it.” He took a step back just as a punch was headed for his face. JayCee brought his hand up sliding the punch just to the left of him, he stepped in with a punch to the gut, as he pulled his hand back he shifted his weight to his left side using his right foot to kick and the force to push down on the bigger teens inner thigh and waist to push him to the ground.

Some of the teenager’s friends began to step forward but JayCee held his hand up and focused on the minds of the boys. With his abnormally strong mind abilities and the weak mind of a fifteen-year-old made it easy to connect with as many of these sub life forms as he wanted. He calmed all their minds. Mirashaal’s boyfriend got up nodded his head and walked away. From that point on she was his girlfriend and everybody seemed to already know it. He ran for student body president. He didn’t have to stuff the box or anything like that. It was simply a matter of walking down the hall. He had become an expert now at controlling his psychic link to everyone. He could control who, what, where, and when he sensed people. To all races and types of life forms. He could sense multiple people, but most importantly he could project his feelings or emotions to others. Walking down the hall it took nothing more than to touch people on the arm and send his sense to them. In his meditations to keep his mind within himself he somehow recently unlocked the power of Psychometry. The ability to see images off physical objects. Past or future events, sense of the people who held the object, and the ability to project himself to others through physical touch. 

Speeches and debates were over before they started, speeches became mind washing sessions. People loved him. And he loved it! One night at home, he was staring in the mirror. He had gone to three parties in the last three weeks, he was now student body president and with his mind abilities could make things however he wanted, he had the hottest girl in school, and many others. Hey, he wasn’t in a committed relationship. Hell, he was only sixteen! He had no intention of dominating. He wanted to make it better for the people. Yet it was not the people he cared about. It was the power. That’s when he had a moment of extreme clarity…

“The Sith dominate people to control them. People give them things for free or do what they say. People bow to them in the streets. If they don’t they might get killed. They have power and control through fear.  
The Jedi liberate people for control over them. People give them things for free or do what they say. People also bow to them in the streets. They are regarded as strong and wise. They have power and control through admiration.  
Power and control…They both achieve the same goal through exact opposite means. But with the same outcome, and for the same purposes… The Jedi strive for that same sense of superiority over others as the Sith. Only they do it in kind of a mocking way that seems to be one giant inside joke to the Jedi. ‘Look what we can do and you can’t.’ JayCee chuckled to himself. “Maybe the Jedi don’t care at all. Maybe this is just their way of asserting their superiority over everyone. By helping people and doing good things you gain peoples trust. If people trust what you say they will do what you say. They have the same power of influence over political actions as the Sith do. And I’ll bet you they use it. If the Sith gain control by killing people, then it stands to reason that the Jedi would have to gain control by saving people. But the methods are irrelevant. It doesn’t change the fact that both sides are acting only for their own self-gratification and dominance over the force, and our way of life! AT LEAST THE SITH HAVE ENOUGH COURAGE TO DO IT STRAIGHT FORWARD!!!FACE TO FACE!!!! THEY DON’T COWER AND HIDE!!!!!!”

JayCee’s face turned red and the mirror shattered in front of him. As he looked at himself in the kaleidoscope image reflecting from all the little pieces JayCee felt suddenly sad. “Such power through my anger. Couldn’t I have directed it somewhere other than the mirror.”

Since he began to affect his life he noticed his power increasing. Using the force as much as he was, and the lengths he had to stretch his abilities sometimes to get something accomplished was paying off. Not only had his powers grown, but he got an extra half hour added to the lunch break, and ten extra minutes between classes. However, it seemed to come at a price. He was short tempered, sarcastic, irritable, always ready to fight. Both verbally and physically. He would have outbursts of anger and things would happen that he didn’t intend. One time he was arguing with Mirashaal. As he walked away he sent a freak shock wave through the hall. Having large open half wall staircases in his education facility some of the students fell from the top of the stairs. Some of them seriously hurt. They didn’t have anything to do with it. A bi product of his anger seemed to be the suffering of innocent people. He was beginning to see the true nature of the dark side of the force.

It had been seven months since he last saw Hekk. At times, he wondered if he would ever see him again. Or had he died somewhere in some great battle. Upon Hekk Taur’s return they went straight into Niman training. The sixth level of light saber techniques. Even though he had already learned this from his former Jedi teacher Aan. It was still important. Each side has a unique style of movement when using this technique. So, it was as if he had never learned it at all. Whereas the Jedi style was flowing and grace full the Sith method was very rigid and choppy. “The thought is that every action every movement should be its own separate entity. Each containing explosive power. Connecting yourself to one flow of energy restricts you from the possibility of everything else.” As Hekk talked JayCee was bringing his vibro blade up to his head, then fast and forcefully brought it down to his waist. He brought the hilt up to his shoulders with the blade pointing down. He swung it in an upward fan to the right then immediately fanned back to the left. As it did this JayCee let go of the blade letting it spin in the air. He put his hand out knocking some boxes over, turned and caught the blade behind his back, twirled it in his palm as he brought around his side then with both hands lunged forward to stab, pulled back to block at his shoulder, half stepped back then stepped forward in an angled downward strike. He then brought the blade back to center with feet shoulder width apart swung the blade in a crisscross motion in front of him spun the sword around his wrist and sliding his left foot back and left hand partially out brought the weapon to rest just behind his outstretched right arm.

The trials for this training level were the same as Aan’s. Using everything you’ve learned. Survive. Graded on how fast you complete, how many times you get hit, how many people die, etc. JayCee had been working on this one for a couple weeks. Aside from the first two basic levels. The ones that didn’t really count. He had not passed the test for any of these in less than a month. So, he was in no hurry.  
It was however that JayCee had grown stronger than he thought. In just under four weeks he had passed the challenge. Hekk was telling him about the seventh and final level in which you put everything together.

Juyo: It is the highest skill level of training. Only Jedi masters and Sith lords learn this method. It is the combination of everything. All skill levels at all times. Only through great stillness and great focus will you ever master this art form.  
The test for this is classified. Only the great ones know.

A little over three years now since Hekk had begun training JayCee. Hekk had been sent to Neimoidia to settle a slave resistance movement. JayCee was high on his throne of accomplishments. He had started to become attached to his girlfriend. He had ended their relationship and had her transferred to another facility but his feelings remained. Maybe the sentimental fact that she was his first girlfriend, or that through her he first experienced sexual relationships, but it had to stop. His lessons from both of his teachers on the matter of attachment were clear.  
He began to think. In all the years, he’s been practicing and learning the force he has learned to quiet his mind, attune to the force, and conquered the pain of the noise in his head. Of all the force abilities, he had so far acquired: Mind trick, telekinesis, force jump, burst of speed, soft landing, far sight, mind link, force heal, and dark force heal. He had also acquired the ability to mind trick Jedi and Sith, read minds, and psychometry. Which apparently aren’t very common abilities. He had mastered all six levels of light saber training for both the Sith and Jedi, and he had learned both of their philosophies, thoughts, and beliefs. Now at the age of seventeen and about to graduate from higher education, he felt it was time to sever his contact with Hekk so they could both live their lives. 

Until that night that would change everything…

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

JayCee was content in his world now. It had never been an interest to him to join either the Sith or Jedi orders. What else could he do with his abilities. He could become a therapist. With his mental powers, he could be a great psychologist! Perhaps he could take up a career as a law enforcement agent, or join up with one of the local garrisons. He could continue his education and become an attorney. Again, capitalizing on his mind powers, he figured he could be great! Then again, he has shown an incredible ability to manipulate politics. He had accomplished a lot in his year and a half in the highest seat in the student government, perhaps he could make a living somewhere in that arena. 

He had plenty of time to figure it out. He had the rest of his life to live. Maybe he would just have fun for a bit. This was the subject of his thoughts while he hugged his arm around Mirashaal pulling her closer to him. She hugged her head into his shoulder as they watched the huge 3-D holo show in the large dark room. JayCee relaxed in his chair confident that his future was bright. He had tried to sever his contact with the girl, but soon found himself once again with her. Truly his lessons on attachment were important. He only now realized the seriousness of what he had been taught. Though now it seemed too late. His attachment to her was almost complete. Showing his first weakness.

He got a job selling speeders at a dealership. With his intense powers of influence getting the job or selling vehicles was not a problem. He would influence them to pay higher prices and give him higher commissions. He got a small place in the Meenor sector of Coruscant. Things were going good for him. He had friends, went out, he wasn’t old enough for the bars but that never stopped him. He and Mirashaal were always the hit of the night. Stretch luxury vehicles, the hottest clubs, the finest things. Between the credits, he was making at his job and his ability to influence anyone into anything, nothing was denied to them.

Of all the things, he had learned, he was surprised at how little hand to hand training there was. I guess a force user would be strong enough to not need such training, but still, it stood to reason to JayCee that something more than basic punches, kicks, and blocks should be taught. After pondering on this for a while he decided to learn a new skill. He enrolled in an Aikitaijitsu class near his home. A Gamorrian martial arts style. In a planet where their main export is mercenaries, they have learned to adapt to most of the fighting styles of the galaxy, then absorb them into one unique fighting art.  
Over the next few months JayCee spent as much time as he could aside from work and time with Mirashaal, he was immersed in study of this incredibly complicated style. Even with his fluidity acquired from force training learning the different wrist holds, throws, deflections, attack strategies, angled strikes, ground fighting, kicks, grabs, holds, reversals, and an entire rainbow assortment of other things was very difficult. He did however progress very rapidly, and within three months he had acquired a Gonjin status. The third rank out of ten. 

He was getting a little worried about is relationship with Mirashaal. He was growing quite attached to her. Of all his lessons from both teachers the constant mentioning of the risk of attachment, even if not for selfish reasons, not wanting them to get in your way or be taken hostage by your feelings for them. Do it for them. You’re also saving you would be friend from the dangers of being killed as a pawn against you. Or having your special other person be kidnapped and tortured. Even if you save them they may still be physically disfigured, or mentally incapacitated. That’s not worth their knowing your name, let alone being your friend.  
There have been others throughout time that have had attachments though. There have been stories of Sith and Jedi alike being married in secret, having children, close friends, even re contacting with birth family and having relationships with them. These things are very frowned upon in both orders because of the usual negative outcomes. However, JayCee was not affiliated with either side. He has taken no oaths, made no promises.  
The decision had been made. He wouldn’t follow that rule. He was following his own will now. He made the decisions that would govern his life. 

It had been six months now. He was eighteen. He had been made the manager of sales at the dealership he worked at. And achieved two more levels of aikitaijitsu. He was now a Tenchi. Hekk had come back to complete JayCee’s training. Now at the final phases of his learning from the Sith, he sensed something ominous on the horizon. Hekk’s insisting that he go with him had become incessant. Hekk wanted JayCee to devote himself to the Sith order. To become his full apprentice. Even through JayCee’s mental barrage of influence Hekk’s mind was strong and still wanted to force its will over him. JayCee knew he could not keep control much longer.

JayCee had convinced him to go. Stating that for him to make the full transition he would need time to do it on his terms. Hekks presence was too much of a burden for him to concentrate on what he must. It was JayCee’s intention to lead Hekk away from him then influence Hekk to forget about JayCee’s existence.

So far so good. It had been two weeks since they had contacted each other. With each day that passed JayCee began to feel more comfortable. His growing confidence that he had successfully detoured Hekk Taur was letting his mind set at ease more and more. Yet there was something in the back of his mind that wouldn’t let it go. A deep sense that he had not gotten rid of everything quite so easily.

In an attempt to conceal himself, he moved to the other end of the planet. He and Mirashaal had a small place thousands of miles from where he had received his Force training from both the Jedi, and the Sith. From all his effort to push his feelings down to avoid accidental psychic contact with others, he had learned to push his energy down to almost nonexistence, which would make it very difficult for any force user to locate him.  
His feelings for Mirashaal had grown to the point of love. After all the time, he spent studying the ways of the force. After mind tricking a Sith and a Jedi to break their oaths and train an outsider in the ways of using the universal energy, after all his fantasies about running around the galaxy on one adventure or another, he was finding that all he really wanted to do was marry his girlfriend and have a family. His original goal of silencing the noise in his head having been accomplished. He was now strong enough to ensure he and his family would never be hungry, never be cold, never be without a home, never want for anything. He had the ability to provide for his family, as well as protect them. What he ended up choosing as a profession was still unknown but for the first time, he knew exactly what he wanted.

One night he woke up in a cold sweat. A feeling of dread running up his spine. He could feel the energies of both Aan Thoni, and Hekk Taur. They were close. Both searching for him. These feelings were coming more and more regular now. At first, he was worried, but then using the rational that if it were a premonition of some kind, why then was he feeling Aan Thoni’s energy? Aan had died more than a year ago, his power would not be able to be received.  
He must investigate this. Taking from Hekk’s lessons about readiness he took to protect his beloved girlfriend. He gave her credits enough to take a transport off the planet and “Vacation” as he had put it, for as long as may need be necessary. Without telling him where she was going (He wouldn’t allow it) she boarded the vessel and left the planet.

JayCee refused to let Mirashaal tell him where she was going. The empath sense of a force user can be used to read thoughts. Even if not, simply the mere thought of her or where she was would be enough to compromise her safety. If this turned out to be something big he refused to let her become involved. As the transport lifted off the ground JayCee closed his eyes and wrapped himself possibly for the last time in the warmth of her essence. When the ship had gone JayCee turned to the task at hand.

For some reason, he kept getting the feeling he should return to his old stomping grounds. Back on the other side of Coruscant. The closer he got the more terrible the feeling was. People were looking for him. Who? Why? Were harder questions to answer. Why was he sensing Aan’s energy? Even if the Jedi knight was still alive, and on this planet why was he only just now picking him up? Unless he only recently returned. But that didn’t make any sense. To survive whatever ordeal, he had gone through then wait almost two years before coming home? That made no sense.

After many hours of travel, he pulled his speeder up to one of the abandoned warehouses on the strip that was once his training ground he turned off the vehicle and cautiously approached the building. Dim light from street lights outside came through the windows giving just enough light to almost see. JayCee didn’t need it though. He could sense Hekk Taur’s energy as though it were a brightly lit sign.

“Hello my friend.” Came the calm voice of the Darth from the shadows. “You haven’t been in contact with me. I thought you were going to meet me on Koravann. It seems I’ve thought a lot of things over the past few years that weren’t exactly true.”  
JayCee opened his mouth to talk but was cut off. “You are powerful indeed to have not only influenced me, but a member of the elite Jedi knights as well.” As he was saying this he paced back and forth, with a slow ominous demeanor. “It started slowly. Thoughts of ’What are you doing?’ ’Why are you so interested in this boy?’ Came to my mind. There were times when I thought you were a lost cause. Every time I thought about leaving you here and continuing my own life they were somehow pushed to the side. However, the dream is over. I assume you’ve figured out by now that weak minded people can be controlled for a life time…Strong minded people on the other hand build an immunity over time. Your power fades and all comes to light. Did you not think I would be strong enough or smart enough to figure it out!? He was becoming angrier as he spoke. His tone getting more ominous and terrifying. “I’m disappointed JAYCEE!!!! Of all your skills and strength. WERE YOU BLINDED BY THE FACT THAT WHEN THIS WAS OVER I’D COME FOR YOU!!!!!”

JayCee was terrified! He had NEVER felt a power like that! He was seeing the true Darth Kifo. Through his efforts to befriend him he had dulled his true nature. Taken advantage of the very essence of him. He only now realized what he had done. JayCee’s hand started trembling, “I wasn’t trying to take advantage of you. I just wanted to learn…” JayCee was cut off. “Don’t pull this bantha fodder with me anymore. I’ll bet you didn’t realize that when a strong-minded person finally becomes aware of the deception they also become immune to it. Prolonged exposure also creates a psychic link between the two. A foreboding connection that never goes away. Doesn’t matter though. You will pay for your deception!” 

 

Aan Thoni sat at the card table playing a game of cheshik. A card game that involved pairs of numbers in sequence, runs of cards of the same types in sequential order, and running the order of the houses, knights, jiffs, or calisans. The temple common room was huge. Large window ceiling, massive thirty foot columns set ten feet apart, around the huge one-hundred-foot room. It was an area where all the members of the Jedi, knights, padawans, and younglings could gather and socialize.  
His hand was good. One knight, one jiff, one calisan, and two fours. He was gonna win this hand. A rush suddenly passed through him. He stopped…Shook his head, went back to reading the other Jedi and padawan at the table. Stone. This game is a good exercise of restraint. Keeping your cool in tense situations. Concealing yourself. A sudden feeling washed over him. His spine tingled all the way up into his head. He stood up by reflex. Snapping to, he looked around confused. He took a drink of water from his glass on the table. He sat back down, and reoriented himself. Looking at his cards he saw a flash of red tear through his mind. “Are you ok?” One of the padawans asked. Aan nodded his head. “You should lie down.” One of the other knights said. “I feel your tenseness. You should rest.” Aan looked around then agreed. Walking down the great hall he was concentrating on the feelings he was being sent. “Why do I sense JayCee. I’ve been searching for him but couldn’t find him. If it is he’s in trouble. He’s not part of the order though. I shouldn’t go. I feel conflicted. It always kind of felt like he was leading me, instead of me leading him in some ways. I’ve passed on from that moment. I need to forget…” The massive twin doors opened. He found himself, standing in the main transport bay.

 

Darth Kifo glinted his crimson blade and leapt forward coming at JayCee with a downward strike to the head. JayCee jumped back. He ignited his vibro blade and deflected the barrage of attacks. JayCee couldn’t believe how powerful his strikes were. His electric sword wobbled in his hands at every blow. The dark masters moves so fast he could barely keep up with them. Block to the knee, reverse step, Horizontal block to the head, reverse step, lateral block to the mid-section, reverse step, he bent low at the knees and brought the sword sticking straight up between them, blocking a low saber strike, then stood up raising his sword handle level to his collar bone deflecting a high left swing. He deflected an angle strike to the head, stepped out to the left rounding their swords down toward the ground, then swung his sword back up along the angle of Hekks arm. In a flash Hekk leaned back almost all the way to the floor dodging the swing bringing his blade with him. JayCee stood and turned sharply leftward as Hekk executed a backward swing with his light saber and barely grazed across his back.  
JayCee knew he couldn’t keep this up. He had to distance himself and regroup. It was hard to focus on anything else. It was all he could do to stop from losing a limb. He shifted his weight to his right and swung his purple electrified sword blade in a left half circle deflecting a straight jab to the face. As the blades slid across each other JayCee moved forward bringing his knee straight into Hekks gut. Giving a giant exhale and being knocked off his footing. With his blade in his left hand, he brought his right hand up and pushed forward. As he did, Hekk flew backward with a rush into some stacked barrels behind him. They toppled down around and on him. JayCee took a second to get his breath. He knew he would be no match for him as long as he had his light saber. If he could get it away from him, he might be able to take him at hand to hand, force to force. There was a growling sound then the barrels exploded outward with a tremendous force. JayCee jumped to the left just out of the way of a flying barrel.  
Hekk screamed as he ran toward JayCee. Saber ignited he slashed at his midsection, JayCee slid back to avoid. Hekk swung up at a diagonal back swing, JayCee quarter turned out of the way. Stepping to the inside he placed his right hand facing in at his elbow and his left facing out at his wrist. He slid his hand up through Hekks wrist knocking the light saber out of his hand. JayCee used the force to throw it across the room. Grabbing Hekks wrist he stepped forward and brought his hands in a large forward circle bringing Hekk flying over him landing hard on the ground. Hekk Flipped up back on his feet and jumped in the air just avoiding a vibro blade aimed at his knees. As Hekk lifted his feet he brought one of them out kicking JayCee in the face.  
JayCee flew back and slid across the ground. Hekk searched for his sword while JayCee regained his stance. JayCee lunged at Hekk with a wild swing from the right at Hekks head. He dodged and moved his torso to the left side as Jaycee swung down at him. Having missed he turned his blade, and swung to the left. Hekk stepped out grabbed JayCee’s sword hand and held it down while at the same time he grabbed around the back of JayCee’s neck and flipped him backward through the air. JayCee spun a few times then landed, crashing with his legs first and toppled until his head bounced off the cement floor.  
Hekk walked up behind him, grabbed him at the shoulders picked him up and threw him across the room. JayCee slammed into the wall and fell to the floor. As JayCee stood Hekk used his telekinesis to lift a barrel and send it flying. JayCee fell back on his stomach avoiding the object. Hekk lifted his hands in the air and they began to shake. Some piping that ran across the upper wall began to shake out of its restraints. The wall itself and part of the ceiling as well cracked and crumbled. Hekk closed his fists and dropped his arms down to his waist. The wall, ceiling, and pipes over JayCee came crashing down on top of him. JayCee turned and put his hands in front of him. With all his strength, he pushed outward. Some of the smaller pieces fell through his energy and crashed around him. He was spending all his focus on the big pieces. Focusing his energy with a leftward flow he managed to push the debris to the side. He let it go, it crashed to the floor sending up a cloud of dust. 

“Have you learned enough? Do you think you’re strong enough to defeat me? It’s not too late. I am willing to forgive your transgression if you come to the dark side.” Hekk said through the dust. JayCee stood and faced his former friend. “No. I will not concede to the dark side. Both the Jedi and the Sith are wrong. You choose to limit yourself.” 

Hekk lunged forward with a punch to the head. JayCee moved his head to the left and threw his left hand in front of his face deflecting the strike. With his right hand in a fist up by the right side of his face and his left hand floating just before his left chin, he bent his knees, and crouched ducking under another fist. He stood straight up and swiped down with his right-hand blocking yet another punch. He stepped largely to his right avoiding a grab and brought his knee up and kicked his foot out. Hekk was kicked so hard his whole body turned from the force. JayCee stepped back to give distance. Hekk came back with a jab, jab, cross, hook, uppercut combo. JayCee successfully dodged all the attacks and spun Hekk around so he was facing his back. He got Hekk with a one two one two jab combo to the kidneys then reached around his throat in an attempt to pull him back off his feet.  
Hekk had quicker reflexes than that. He grabbed JayCee’s hand, pulled him close against him bent over and pulled JayCee’s arm in a full forward circular motion that sent JayCee flipping over Hekks back onto the floor.  
As JayCee was on hand and knee picking himself up Darth Kifo put his hands out in front of him, and spread his fingers. With a jolt of his arms sparks of electric current flew from his fingertips wrapping themselves around JayCee. JayCee uncontrollably flung himself to the floor. Writhing in pain, screaming in agony. He curled into the fetal position then jolted straight out wrenching his back.  
“Not so friendly, now am I?” Hekk Taur said in a calm fashion with a sadistic smile on his face. He clenched his teeth, widened his eyes and increased the intensity of his electrical powers.  
JayCee could feel electricity surround his teeth causing them to chatter, his throat was convulsing making his vocal chords chirp out incoherent sounds. Electricity coursed through his eye balls causing his vision to blink on and off. His brain felt like it was being micro waved. The shock was making his nerves and limbs flail out of control. His eyes rolled in the back of his head. Smoke started to rise off him as his body hair was singed away. His skin was getting dry and cracking. His hair caught fire. He was trying to run his hands through his hair when everything went black.

JayCee woke what must have been only moments later. The electricity stopped. His hair smoldering, parts of his body had long wide slits peeled open by the electricity, through his blurred vision he saw a magnificent yellow glow. “Aan. It must be. Or his spirit…or something.” 

Having a weird feeling to return here Aan followed his sense and arrived mid battle. At first, he thought maybe he should let nature take its course. JayCee chose this for himself. He was under no obligation to interfere. He watched the battle with great interest. JayCee had become strong. The dark side he sensed in him. He had turned to the dark side. He was this Siths apprentice! He felt so betrayed. So, hurt. He pushed those feelings away. He shook his head. “The price of attachment.” He said to himself. He was about to call for more Jedi when he realized that would expose him. He could be kicked out of the Jedi order for this! He couldn’t let that happen. He had to deal with this himself. 

He stepped through the barley lit door way and used the force to push Hekk Taur against a wall. “Sorry to interrupt your training, but I don’t believe you were invited here.” He sparked his yellow blade and twirled it in front of him. “Oh. I was invited Jedi… By him.” Hekk pointed at JayCee laying on the ground unconscious. “Your former student I take it. You must be Jedi knight Aan Thoni. I am Darth Kifo.”  
“I don’t care who you are. Take your padawan and get off this planet!” Aan said. Hekk tilted his head down and looked up with just his eyes. “Make me.” 

Aan lunged forward. Hekk unleashed his force lightning but Aan stopped short and used his light saber to absorb the energy. It took both hands to hold the sword steady against the force of energy coming at him. Aan turned to the right and twirled around breaking off the contact with his sword, turning to slice at Hekks head. Hekk ducked down avoiding the swing. He back flipped away from Aan to gain distance. Hekk held out his hand and summoned JayCee’s vibro blade from the ground. Aan ran forward trying to get to Hekk before the vibro blade did.

Hekk jumped into the air. He flipped around grabbing and activating the blade then landed on the ground automatically bringing the blade in front of his face, blocking a swinging attack. Aan advanced on him with a fluidity and grace that Hekk had trouble anticipating. When he thought Aan was going up he ended down low. Somehow a strike to the left ended up at the top right. Aan brought his sword up, blade pointing down and deflected a strike to the shoulder area. He waved his glowing blade down and deflected a straight shot to the stomach. He swung back around to the left and just missed Hekk Taur’s throat. Aan pulled both his hands back, then placing them together pushed out, sending Hekk flying backward, rolling on the floor.

By this time JayCee had used force healing enough to stand. He was stumbling across the floor. “Aan! Wait! You don’t know…” JayCee was cut off. Aan turned to face JayCee. He brought his saber back to his hand and swung at him. Just dodging the saber strike, JayCee leapt to the side taking an evasive stance. “HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THIS!? TURN TO THE DARK SIDE!” Aan yelled as he rushed forward. JayCee barley able to stand evaded to the left escaping another saber strike to the mid-section. JayCee punched Aan in the throat, then flipped him over in a somersault to the side, by grabbing his right forearm and twisting his body at an angle to the side.

Aan dropped his light saber and JayCee was quick to get hold of it. Summoning it to him just in time to defend himself against Hekk who was coming up behind him. With a newly gained burst of energy JayCee brought his saber down against the vibro blade of the Sith and pushed, he slammed his body against Hekk as hard as he could and knocked him over. He felt a grip around his hand that pulled and yanked the light saber from him. When he looked over he saw it fly through the air to Aan.  
Aan rushed forward, running toward Hekk. JayCee rolled out of the way and let them to it. Not having a weapon, he needed to stay as far away from them as possible. Where was the other light saber? He stretched out with his feelings trying to locate it.  
Hekk and Aan were evenly matched. Every sword strike, every deflection, was meet with a counter attack. Hekk swept low for the knee’s. Aan jumped and came down with a thrust, Hekk bent down, spun his back facing the ground, twirled his blade, then slipping to the side came around with a wide turn and a swing to the left rib section. Aan quickly jumped to the side. The blade slicing through his tunic and into his flesh. 

Aan staggered for a moment. Hekk took advantage of this and brought his blade in an upward strike severing Aan’s arm just below the elbow. His hand and his sword flew through the air. “AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!” Screamed the Jedi knight. He toppled back. Hekk drew his sword back and swung. He was suddenly knocked forcefully to the side. JayCee had come around behind the two. Climbing up on the ruble of the fallen roof top and wall, he waited for his moment. using the force, he summoned Aan's light saber to him.  
This was it! He jumped out from the shadows. JayCee put his left arm under Hekks left and pulled his arm up against his body. Placing his knee behind Hekks he bent down forcing Hekk of his balance. Grabbed around the main artery of his neck and used the dark force heal technique. Momentarily paralyzing Hekk, JayCee used Hekk’s own life force to heal the damage he had inflicted!

There was a rush that went through all of them. Another Jedi. Many Jedi, were close. Backup for Aan had arrived. The three separated. JayCee and Hekk both knowing that if they were still there when the Jedi arrived neither one no matter how strong would stand to that. “THIS ISN’T OVER!!!! I’M COMING FOR YOU JAYCEE!!! From now on Hekk Taur is dead to you. From now on you will only know the wrath of Darth Kifo.” Hekk growled. The echo of his voice caused soot and dust to fall from the ceiling. Since they were blocking the direction he needed to go, he attacked one last time. He rushed at JayCee feigning a right swing then, switching positions came around to the left. JayCee swung the yellow saber down blocking the vibro blade. Hekk stepped in and took out JayCee at the knee, hit him square in the nose with the butt end of his sword, then angled the blade and came down. JayCee reflexively brought the stolen yellow saber to his face. Hekk's powerful swing came down through the yellow swords handle, shattering it into pieces. Hekk rushed past him and disappeared. 

Aan was nursing his smoldering arm, while lying on the ground. “I’m sorry.” JayCee said. “I haven’t joined the dark side…” He was cut off “You tricked him…Like you did me. If the council hears about this, I’ll be dismissed from the order altogether! You put my life at risk so you could mess around with the force like it’s a hobby!?” He winced in pain placing his remaining hand at the wound in his side. “Whatever debt I may have owed you I have fulfilled it! You do not belong to the Jedi order! If you use the force in any way that interferes with Jedi affairs, or if we come across each other again…I will do what I must. We are no longer friends, and I will treat you like the threat you are.”

JayCee stood for a moment then solemnly nodded his head. “You know I knew me and Hekk would end like this. He’s a Sith. That’s how it has to be with him. But I though me and you would end on peaceful terms. We had. Why did you come here tonight?”  
Aan hardened himself. “You seem like you took enough energy from Darth what’s his name to be feeling better…You need to leave before the other Jedi arrive.”

Without another word. JayCee turned and Force jumped up to the hole in the roof created by Hekk. He grabbed on to the wall and pressed his feet firmly against the side. He hopped up and balanced on the two-foot-thick brick and steel, took one last look at Aan and jumped off the other side. He landed safely on the ground, and used burst of speed to escape from the area.

 

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

Opening his eye’s knowing she was probably a little far out there. Mental contact is possible anywhere in the galaxy through the force, but its better when the other person has it as well. Tosh was more in between. She believed and she didn’t. knowing that at the moment it was a lost cause he opened his eyes. The not so well planned hover bike crash probably tripped a sensor somewhere. He might as well open the massive doors of the Sith outpost and take a craft. “Stealing from those who steal in the first place or attain material possessions through other people’s suffering is justified.” 

It had been five years since that night. Hekk sought him out relentlessly on Coruscant. However, JayCee was able to suppress his energy and hide at his home thousands of miles on the other side of the planet. A world that size was too large for one man to search entirely, for just one person. Hekk eventually gave up and left, swearing he would find him before he died.  
Right now, JayCee was on the moon of Molovar. Just next to Kamino in the south-east expansion, stealing a Mon Calamarian three-person space patrol vessel from the Sith. This was dangerous. He left a holo recording on the control panel in the hangar bay. A message to the Sith. It basically said that he was marooned their after being attacked by space pirates. He broke in not knowing who the building belonged to but he was sorry. He needed to survive. He took a transport but meant no offence by it. Saying that the pirates didn’t check him before dropping him off he set five small packs of red and blue, worth ten thousand universal federal credits next to the projector and explained this was his way of offering compensation.

JayCee wasn’t stupid. He had a problem with one Sith. Not all Sith. The last thing he wanted to do was offend the order of the dark side. Now on his way to the planet Mandalore. His home planet. He received the hyperspace coordinates from the navi-computer and made the jump to light speed. The computer set to auto pilot, he went back into the cargo bay and sat down. Even at light speed it would take around thirty-six hours to reach his destination. The universe is a big place. Maps and holo projections are misleading. Two planets or stars that are two inches away from each other on a map can be the distance of two or three hundred thousand miles. 

JayCee was in meditation. A feeling had swept over him. Something was coming. He didn’t know what, but he got the impression Hekk and Aan would be present as well. His thoughts of them drifted to a few months after the battle. He had returned to the ware house. Extremely cautious he felt around for the Siths red light saber. He closed his eyes and pushed out with his mind. Energy leaves a trace. The more an object is exposed to that energy the more the object absorbs and becomes part of that energy. Hekk and Aan's light sabers should ring out like a bell in his mind.  
Over by the wall where he had taken Aan’s saber from his severed hand, he found the shattered saber handle. The crystal had been broken into four larger pieces, and a few shards and smaller pieces, scattered around. JayCee picked them up and carefully placed them in a soft felt like cloth and rolled them up. Under a concrete slab and some rubble, he found Hekk’s red light saber. He walked to the pile of rubble, and lifted his hand. When he did the concrete and taebarr lifted off the ground and flew to the side. The sword handle lifted off the ground and floated to JayCee. Once in his hand he slid the activator and watched the crimson blade shoot from the hilt. 

His meditation was interrupted when the ship came out of hyperspace to receive a transmission. “Unknown vessel on course three two five, five alpha vector bravo, JayCee is that you?” Chirped a familiar female voice. Pushing the button activating the com stand “Yes it’s me.” He responded. “So, I see you found a ride after all. That is why you called me right? Drag me all the way out here…So where are you going?”  
“Home.” He responded. “You want to ride with me? My ships a lot more comfortable than that short range junker.” The voice returned over the speaker. “Besides. I know you don’t have enough fuel to make it all the way there…And I have a shower and toilet…How long can a force user abstain from taking a fodder?” JayCee had to agree. Even though refueling wasn’t an issue. He decided to board her ship. They traveled side by side for two hours before coming to a meteor settlement. JayCee abandoned his stolen craft and boarded with Tosh.

Now under way again he stood in the small four foot by six-foot bathroom. Looking at himself shirtless in the mirror. Scars striped his body. The heat and intensity of Darth Kifo’s lightning dried out JayCee’s skin making it shrivel and constrict, causing his skin to split and peel. On his back left shoulder was an eighth inch wide, seven-inch-long scar. Just to the right of his spine running from the top of the neck line, fading away around the mid back area rested a large scar. In a diagonal from the top right to bottom left of his chest was what looked like a long slash. About two inches wide and thirteen inches long. Running down the back side of his left shoulder was a scar one and a half inches wide tracing down his side. On his legs were different scars varying in length and width. And one that ran from just under his right ear down the side of his neck and curving down around his front side barley intersecting with the scar on his chest. As well as few along his arms. He stared at himself drifting off once again into thought.

After JayCee had recovered Aan and Hekk’s light sabers he returned home. During the few months, he had been hiding while healing from his wounds he began trying to figure out how to build a light saber. He knew they used Diadam power cells, a laser projector, a crystal ark focuser, and a crystal of some kind. They can be of any type or color. He had heard that even synthetic crystals could be used. Before the first great Sith war there had been light sabers of all colors. Crystals were abundant on many planets. After the war, however, only the planet Ilum seemed to remain. The planet in the northwest of the outer rim only grew green and blue crystals. Thus, limiting the color selection. The sword handle could be any structure, any shape or form. As long as it was hollow with an open end, was long and big enough to fit the equipment, and was insulated.  
JayCee spent days, looking at swords in shops, pictures of swords on his holo monitor, looking at the size, shape, and length of the handles. On a planet, as large and diverse as Coruscant, JayCee found more types of weapon handles than he could keep track of. Weeks, he spent holding and testing different types of handles, waiting to find just the right one.

There was a knock on the door. “Hey!” Came Tosh’s voice. “You still alive in there?” JayCee put his tunic shirt on and opened the door. “Yeah. I’m fine.” JayCee crossed the room, and turned on the holo projector.

The room was a large size. The ship itself was a fair size. Her father got it from a man he knew when he was younger. After his shipping company went out of business he had to turn to smuggling to make money. The ship was twenty feet tall, sixty feet wide at the furthest point, and one hundred twenty feet long. It was a triangle shape that slopped up from the back. The main cargo doors were on the back side of the slope facing out in the opposite direction from the cockpit. It had the main fifty foot by fifty foot by twenty-foot cargo bay (A small part in front of the main ladder had been transformed into a living room. Couches, chairs, tables, entertainment), six small ten foot by seven-foot bed rooms (Each equipped with fold out bunk beds doubling the crew capacity), to the side of the living area in a large nook under the second floor was a kitchen area. At the front of the cargo bay was a steep and narrow staircase leading up to the main cockpit. Hidden along the entire ship were secret pass ways, and hidden storage areas. Inside the main hangar bay was a four-person speeder, and three hover bikes. (Only two of them working.) 

Tosh grew up on that ship. Her father was a human from the planet Fondor. Her mother was a rare mystical species from the south east wild space regions. Tosh taking predominantly after her mother was five feet even. Her slender feminine form was well toned and slightly muscled. Her skin was a soft reddish pink. The females of her mother’s race had a natural sparkle in their skin, looking like a light dust of glitter. Her hands were human but small. As females from both species tend to be. Her eyes were white with red pigmentation, and black pupils. Her teeth were flat except for semi pointed fangs. She had beautiful deep red hair that stood out brilliantly against her softer toned skin. Her voice was soothing, very calming to listen to. Except when she’s pissed. Then her voice becomes peaked and dominant. She was for the most part mild mannered. She was no push over though. She was smart, quick, and not afraid to call you out. She loved traveling the galaxy with her father. Until he died of natural causes in his late sixties. That’s when she inherited the ship Starkiller. She knew every inch, every spailing rod, every nut and bolt. Her father taking her all over the galaxy, teaching her how to smuggle, line storage areas with scanner resistant material, what materials to use for different scanners, shipping laws, piloting skills, self-defense, computer hacking, etc. Not having many friends growing up being dragged around the galaxy, she began building and befriending robots, and droids. She had built the droid that helped her on her ship. Built as a medical droid, it also helped with the ships maintenance, and kept her company when she was alone. A. utomated O. nboard N. urse. Or simply A.O.N. as Tosh called it. 

He flipped through the channels, but finding nothing on, turned off the holoprojector just as Tosh was sitting down. “So, what’s new?” She said making polite conversation. JayCee looked away from her. “Nothing. Same fodder.” He replied. “It’s nice having someone other than a droid to talk to. If you have nothing going on why don’t you come with me?” Her face brightened up. “I’m on my way to Nal Hutta to drop off a cargo shipment.” JayCee looked at her “I don’t think so. I have business to take care of.” As he said this he stood and turned as if about to walk away. Tosh jumped in front of him.  
“I know you don’t need the money. Do it for companionship. Come with me so I don’t go crazy here by myself!” JayCee looked at her with a mocking grin. “If you’re so lonely then hire more crew. You need more than just yourself and a robot.” She looked down. “I know. But you can’t trust people. You of all people should understand the importance of not getting too close with someone.”  
JayCee looked down on Tosh, Him being at least a foot taller than her. “Yet you would ask me to come with you. You don’t seem too cautious about getting close to me.” “That’s because you’re my friend. I know you’ll never betray me. With you I’m safe!”  
“Safe from everybody else. But not me.” JayCee pointed at a large patch on the side hull of the cargo bay. “Remember that? Sometimes control over the dark side requires great skill and will power. Even if directed away from you, I could still cause us both to die.” He could see the disappointment in her face. He could feel the emotions running through her.  
She was attracted to him. She wanted to be with him, but at the same time tried to keep her distance. He knew how it would end if they got together. She had her own reasons for staying away, but she also understood from his point of view. She did not want to become a pawn to exploit JayCee’s weakness.

She shied her face away from JayCee and walked away. JayCee went to the kitchen area and poured a glass of water from the tap. Space ships were equipped with gravity boosters, running water, and plumbing. A unique system that had to be dumped and refilled often. The stagnant water from the reservoir tasted like metal. It had obviously been a long time since Tosh had maintenanced her automated systems. He took a drink, once again drifting into thought. 

It took seven attempts to create his sword. Having found a handle style, he liked, he went out and found all the other components. He bought ten of each item figuring he wouldn’t be successful on the first try. Based on that logic he also found several synthetic crystals, that way he wouldn’t risk accidentally destroying the red or yellow ones he ultimately wanted to use. If he got it right in a few tries he would have spare parts, or can make more than one sword.  
On the first attempt, he had assembled his handle, but when he activated it, it began to spark. He had incorrectly installed the insulation and it caught fire.  
On the second attempt when he activated the blade it shot on and off, on and off, then sparked and sizzled. Catching a glimpse of what was about to happen in his mind, he threw the handle across the room. It had traveled no more than ten inches away from him when it exploded in a fairly large ball of fire and electricity.  
On the fifth attempt, he assembled everything, checked it, then checked it again. He set it on the table, then from across the room held out his hand and used the force to activate the blade. It did nothing. No sparks no explosions, just nothing.  
Then he finally activated his seventh attempt. The blade shot out with a brilliant white glow. JayCee had just discovered that synthetic diamonds create a white blade. He walked over to the table and picked up his new weapon. The grip felt good in his hand. He swung it around, slashed it back and forth getting a feel for it. He had used Aan and Hekk’s sabers occasionally during his training, but knew it would take practice to get used to the weight difference compared to his old vibro blade.  
A vibro blade is a long sharp piece of metal like a regular sword. The difference is that in the handle is an electro static charge displacer that causes bands of electricity to surround the blade. The handle is a rubber grip, with an insulated protective sheath around the interior to protect against shock to the user. The metal blade is polarized and magnetized to attract the electricity keeping it contained. Depending on the style they could weigh in the range of three to twelve pounds.

 

A light saber however is extremely light. The handle can be a little heavy depending on the size, equipment you use or whatever your own personal taste is. But that’s it. The blade being made of solidified light particles, has no weight.  
In fact, they are generally so light that one would almost have to use the force just to keep the damn thing from flying out of your hands. JayCee guessed this was a large contributor to youngling and padawan accidents. “This sword is too light.” JayCee thought to himself. “When I change out the crystals, I’ll have to add some weight to the back end of the hilt here.”  
light saber crystals are interchangeable. The component assembly is in a separate chamber at the bottom of the handle. Just above that is the crystal chamber. You can open it and remove the crystal if you want.

Now came JayCee’s ultimate dilemma. Should he keep the one sword or make two? He was a student of both sides of the force. He wanted both colors to be represented. He could make two swords. One red and one yellow. But he figured that would look ridiculous. He thought maybe he would stick with the original idea. He wanted to see if he could combine the two crystals into one blade. He first had to reassemble the shattered yellow crystal. No easy task. He took it to a local jeweler and for a hefty price was able to have it reconstructed.

Having built a double intake cross circuit within the crystal chamber he placed the two crystals in their respective slots, closed the compartment and backed away. Again, using the force to ignite the blade it shot out of the handle and blazed. The combination of red and yellow created a shimmering orange blade. He called it to him. Sword in hand he swung it through the air. The weight in the butt helped its balance but would still take much effort to get used to it. Having completed his new weapon, he sat on the floor with two orange candles lit. He set the light saber in front of him, closed his eyes, and concentrated on attuning the energy wavelength of the sword and his own energy into compatibility, merging himself spiritually with the weapon. Once achieved he and his light saber would literally become the same. As he meditated over the object he placed his hands over it and repeated:

 

“The crystal is the heart of the blade.”  
“The heart is the crystal of the user.”  
“The user is the crystal of the force.”  
“The force is the blade of the heart.”  
“All are intertwined.”  
“The crystal, the blade, the user, the force.”

As he finished he imagined his energy glowing orange attuning himself to the energy of the blade. The blade grew brighter attuning itself to JayCee. He then repeated the incantation. Three times total he did this, over the space of two hours.

When complete he had a new light saber constructed by him, for him, anointed with his energy. He finally had a weapon strong enough to use against Hekk.

Finishing his thought standing in the kitchen area of Tosh’s ship he took his cup and walked back over to the large half circle couch facing the main bay. He sat down and turned on the holo projector again. Tosh in the meantime had been reading in the other room. She came out flipped on the game projector, and challenged JayCee to a game of virtual Gramoth. A game that involves pins set up in a triangle at the end of an alley. You then roll a weighted ball down the aisle trying to knock as many pins down as you can. You tally your all together score at the end of fifteen rounds.

What Tosh liked most about the virtual game was that JayCee couldn’t affect the pins. She had learned if you play a game such as this or table ball, (A game that involves twenty balls on a table. Using a stick called a quea you hit a solid tan ball and try to knock the others into pockets set in the table.) he was known to let’s say… affect the outcome. JayCee stood up and they began playing. 

 

CHAPTER NINE

 

Darth Kifo jumped onto the star liner wall then sprang with his feet into a back flip in the air. As he turned he swung his light saber. When he landed two headless Juggernaut war droids fell behind him. He stood and pushed his hand out, sending another flying back knocking down six more droids. He turned in the other direction, using burst of speed he ran down a hall and left to a line of turbo lift doors. Not stopping he threw his hand across the air. Opening one of the doors he leapt through just dodging a barrage of laser fire.  
He fell with a rush. No sign of the lift, he undid his grappling hook from his belt and threw it up around some piping coming out of the wall. He came to a sudden stop. Looking around he decided he was momentarily safe. He lifted back the sleeve of his black shirt and activated a holo image from his wrist. There was a 3-D image of the star liner he was on. A large ship, more long and thin than tall or bulky. There was a flashing red dot that indicated him in the upper middle section of the ship, and a flashing yellow dot indicating where he was going in the lower middle section of the ship.

Dangling from his wire five hundred feet above nothing Hekk found the closest doors were the ones just below him. He used the force to open the door then swung himself into a wide swing and grabbed the side of the shaft above the turbo lift. He released all the slack on his cable then climbed down through the door. He lifted his hand and concentrated on the hook lifting itself and unwinding from where it was. Once released Hekk called it back to him and took off.

An alarm had been going off since he was discovered and it was getting irritating. All droids and security personnel had been alerted. He sensed three life forces coming from the left at the end of the hall. When they reached the crossing Hekk pulled his light saber out and sliced through them before they even realized he was there. A turret gun came from the ceiling at the end of the left hall and opened fire. Hekk deflected most of the fire, and dodged the rest. More droids came from the right. Hekk slid on the ground towards the turret rolling in a circle changing his trajectory missing a stream of laser bolts. Coming to a stop just under the turret he jumped to his feet stabbed straight up and through it, pulled it off its ceiling mount and flung it off his saber blade at the war droids. When it reached, them he spaced his hands about two feet apart then put them palms facing each other. He flexed his fingers and pushed in with his hands like he was trying to hold a very large water balloon. He was focusing energy inward. With the severed turret gun as his focus he caused it to explode. The outward blast causing other droids to spark and explode as well.

The turret gun was guarding a door. Hekk used the force to tear it off its hinges. On the other side was a large room. Like a cargo bay sized living quarters. Before him stood five humanoid beings, three Juggernaut war droids, and two HSK assassin droids. “You’ll never get them. Even as strong as you are, you are not enough to stand against the HSK's alone. You can still leave.” The head security officer said.

Without a word Hekk took three giant steps forward and sprung high into the air. The security detail opened fire. Hekk moved his sword in a broad spinning fan motion that sent every blaster bolt raining right back down upon them. One of the men was struck. Not killed, but taken out of the equation. One of the assassin droids as well was struck and destroyed. The explosion threw all the men and two of the droids off their feet. Hekk landed and came running forward in a zigzag pattern deflecting laser fire.  
He spun to the right just outside of one of the HSK's. It looked like he was going to strike with his saber but in a switch move threw the saber across the room to the right, while catching the droid in a kind of force hold with his left hand. Having paralyzed the robot in his grip he spun back around to the left again bringing the droid following in a half circle motion. The weight of the large machine crushed and destroyed the smaller Juggernaut droids in its path. Hekk then sent it rushing toward the other assassin droid. He turned dodging to the left missing a downward strike from one of the humanoids. Hekk reached around the outside of the beings’ arm at the neck. Pulled back and brought his other hand crashing down smashing his face. 

He reached up with his hand and called to his light saber. While in the air Hekk changed, its course and sent it flying instead into the back of another humanoid. He ducked his head and rushed to the side as laser fire grazed across him. Taking cover under one of the decommissioned Juggernauts he called his saber to him. Using the force, he threw the severed main gun of the large machine at the other. While distracted he came from behind and stabbed through its head. The last remaining droid was defeated by deflecting its blaster fire right back at it.

Hekk slowly walked across the rubble and mess from the battle. Approaching the wounded humanoid and his commanding officer he greeted them kindly. “Your thoughts betray you. Thank you. I don’t even need to ask where they are.” He lifted his hand and both men began to choke and gag. They fell dead.

Hekk walked over to a large wall. Spreading his arms, the wall opened at the middle and slid to the sides. There were many people. Cold, hungry, sick, in hiding. They ranged in age from four years to sixty. They were tall and slender with purple skin. Hekk didn’t know why they were being held and he didn’t care. His mandate was to stop them from being returned to their home.

The Sith had a small interest in slaves. They brought good money that helped fund their organization. There was nothing saying Hekk had to kill them. But then there wasn’t anything saying not to either. Hekk lit his blade and rushed forward. With the first swipe, he cut off two heads. A swing back and around brought his blade across the chest of one and through the abdomen of another. They panicked and tried to scatter. But for Hekk it was like being in the middle of a bubble shower. He had only to apply forms. He just moved and swung his sword and somebody happened to be in the way. 

By the time the remaining few gained distance, twelve out of twenty lay dead at his feet. Hekk held out his hand sealing the doors. Then with both hands out reached he caught two separate people in his mental grip. Within moments their flailing became limp sub ordinance. He did the same to two others. One, a child probably around the age of ten. His saber flew through the air into the back of one more, then a slice through the midsection finished off the last. Hekk stepped over and through the bodies of men, women, children, and elderly. All of them weak. All of them defenseless. Hekk laughed to himself with contentment and pride. Having completed his assignment, he was clear to investigate the moon settlement disturbance in which he was sure he would finally find his quarry. The boy who betrayed him. 

It would be a long flight. He was on a star cruiser near Utegetu Neb and Molovar was on the other side of the outer rim close to Tatooine. That would be a long ride in his small personal craft. A thought hit him, why not take the cruiser. It’s three-hundred-foot length was much roomier, and far more luxurious. He fought his way to the main bridge. Coming around a corner he was met by intense blaster fire. Four Tac-Spec Footmen security droids were stationed at the end of the hall. Hekk taking cover heard a “Beep, beep, beep” He looked over. Two turbo lifts were coming up. Doubtlessly filled with more security detail. “Force almighty this is a lot of security for such a little ship!” He chuckled to himself. “All this protection for those…Things…And it didn’t make a difference. They still died.”  
He got off the wall and spun around the corner spinning his blade like a propeller, forming a kind of shield. Deflecting blaster bolts, back at the Tac-Spec’s. The firing stopped. Holding out his free hand a droid floated into it as though his hand were a magnet. The first lift door opened, then the second. Hekk swung around hurling the droid into the first turbo lift, then closed his hand tightly. The droid exploded killing and destroying the soldiers inside. He brought his blade in front of him deflecting blaster fire as the troops from the second lift funneled out to the left and right.  
Only four of the ten inside made it past the return laser fire deflected from Hekks red blade. Hekk held out his right hand and hit one of the droids with his force lightning. The electricity surged around the infantry droid shorting its circuits. The lightning passed on to a droid at the others left and shorted it out as well. As he did this he used his other hand and force pushed another droid back into the lift wall so hard it exploded. A burst of flame came out the door, as Hekk charged forward cutting the fourth and final droid into pieces with his saber.

He continued down the hall and to the right, then left, to another set of turbo lift doors. He threw his hand across the air opening one of the doors. With a running start, he jumped to the back wall of the shaft, kicked off the wall to the other side just higher than he was before, then kicked off back to the other side of the shaft, and so on zig zagging his way up the turbo lift to the main floor. Once there he held on to some pipes on the back wall, opened the lift door and sprung through. Sword in hand rolling across the ground, he took the feet of several navigation droids, and living crew members. Getting to his feet he used his free hand to force choke the captain and throw him into one of the ensigns on deck. He waved his hand at each security turret that came out from the ceiling destroying them before they could even activate.  
He brought his sword down through two more navi droids, and a control bot. Having taken the bridge, he instructed the three-remaining crew (Two bots, and a slugoid) to set a course for Molovar. Once they locked it in Hekk took his blade to them. Killing them as if they were roaches, or spiders, or any other of that type of annoyance. Walking and whistling he twirled his sword in a downward circle through the heads or chests of the bridge crew unlucky enough to have lost their feet. He walked over to the bridges main com link and activated it. The image of a boy the age of sixteen draped in a black robe was kneeling. “Yes, my master. “He said then stood. “Have you succeeded?” Hekk replied. The boy said back “Yes master. I have been done for some time.” Hekk stroked his chin in approval. “Good job Que Den. My young apprentice. Continue to further your studies. I will be there as soon as I finish this other business. It’s time you rejoined me. Make sure you are ready.” Que Den bowed at the waist. “Thank you my master. I will be.” With that he clicked off the com. This was still going to be a long trip. He might as well keep himself amused by taking care of anything else on this ship that might still be alive, or functioning. Heading towards the turbo lift he calmly hit the button and waited.

The lift door opened, He stepped through then turned and smiled to himself as the lift doors closed… 

 

Aan stood on a cliff side looking out at the troop drop ships entering the atmosphere. “Defenses ready?” He said without moving his head. The captain standing behind him answered “Yes sir. Battery cannons are primed, ground defenses armed and in position.” Turning and walking toward a castle he replied. “Fire the battery cannons. Take out as many of those drop ships as we can.  
He entered a huge stone building into a grand hallway. The castle was an ancient building on the planet Yazmina. A hidden planet in the unknown region. Far past the outer rim in a territory very seldom explored. The planet was home to the Yazminians. A humanoid species. Standing anywhere from six to seven feet tall. Slender and muscular build, their purple skin and brilliant shades of yellow, red, dark purple, and green hair matched well with the light purple atmosphere. 

The castle was the home of the planets ruler King Jazone. The twenty seventh of his blood line, his land had been in their family for as long. The grand hallway was vast. Easily twenty feet wide, fifty feet long, twenty feet high. The floor was stone, covered with a large red floor rug that covered the middle walkway. Doors stood every fifteen feet on both sides. In between the doors were pillars, between the pillars were five-foot-tall marble pedestals with little gold statues standing on them. Black plants with large fanning leaves that sat on each side of each door, color coordinating perfectly against the sand colored stone surroundings.  
The end of the hall opened to a huge circular foyer. To the left of was the main entrance to the castle. On the other side of the foyer opposite Aan was another identical hall. To the left, opposite the main entrance was a grand stairway leading to a second floor. On each side of the staircase were lavish double doors leading into a large dining area lined with glass walls that lead to the ten-acre backyard.

As Aan reached the main foyer he was met by three other Jedi and two padawans. One of them looked to Aan and said “Troop ships are dropping thirty yards to the west. Military garrisons are set to intercept.” Another Jedi said “Air support ready. Pilots are prepped and standing by.” The Jedi then looked at his padawan. “The refugees are safely away from here. They’re in the underground bomb shelter waiting for this to be over.” The first Jedi put his hand on his fourteen-year-old apprentices shoulder “Good work young one. Now we need the two of you to guard them. Go back and make sure they stay safe.” The young Jedi learner frowned. “But I wanted to help in the battle. I’ll serve you better fighting at your side.” The master regarded his student with a firm tone. “You will serve me better by doing as I request. Do not be so hasty to rush into battle. Sometimes the tasks that are farthest from conflict are the most important. We are here to protect these people. If we fail.” He looked at the other knights then back at the boy “You two are the last defense these people have.” The other Jedi looked at the second padawan. “Consider this a lesson in strategy tactics. Garrisons are placed at the projected battle intersections. Air support is in place. The kings’ royal guards are in place to defend the castle, we.” He pointed at the other two Jedi. “Are about to deploy to our designated spots, leaving the last piece of the puzzle. Insurance that the refugee’s stay alive…You…Understand?”  
The padawans both looked at each other. “Yes masters.” They both said in unison then departed for their assignment.  
Faint explosions sounded off in the distance. The confrontation had begun. For some reason this beautiful planet had been over looked by the rest of the galaxy. Not charted on any star maps, lost in the unknown region of the universe. These people lived in solitude in their small part of space. Though they had the technology to enter the civilized ranks and make themselves known, they didn’t have the desire. They had watched one war after another. One disagreement or dispute followed by another. They Thought it best to “Leave them to theirs.” As King Jazone had said to Aan once.

Now for some reason they were under attack! Thousands killed so far. Thousands more taken. Where? No one knew. Why? No one knew. Not even one had been seen on any of the known slave trade markets. No known traders had come across anyone who even knew of them.  
The planet itself had no real intrinsic value. Certain natural resources. Gas, stones, precious metals, agricultural goods. Nothing that wasn’t available in abundance in other areas of the universe. So why? What was going on? There was no purpose or sense in doing this. 

Aan could hear the “Tier tier…tier.” of blaster fire to the left and front of him. CCSSBOOOSH…CRASH…RUMMMBLEEE…KAK KAK KAK!!!!!!!! Explosions were everywhere! Laser fire traced through the air in all directions. Tree’s came crashing down, land vehicles blasting plasma bolts at each other. Aan jumped on the side of a fallen tree, yellow blade drawn. BOOM!! An explosion at his side caused him to lose balance. He crossed his blade in front of him, sending two laser bolts back into the chests of the soldiers that shot them. He quickly brought his blade up, diagonal left, swept in a full downward circle in front of him ending behind his back. Each movement deflecting a blaster bolt. Running down the log he flipped sideways off the tree. He rolled when he hit the ground with his saber sticking out from his side, cutting off the legs of two infantry droids. He then brought his blade backwards into their heads.

Getting on his feet he used the force to push back three advancing soldiers. He turned to his left bringing up his sword blocking a pulsar rod that had been aimed at his head. He crossed down blocking another attack. Swinging back up and around to the left he ended up at the soldiers back. Running him through with the blade, he turned and swung his sword diagonal left and down deflecting another blast. He used burst of speed to run through the forest toward a troop carrier.  
Force jumping to the top of the vehicle he ran up to the front, and jumped off the end. He thrust his light saber into the metal surface. Using it for momentum he swung up and through the windshield. He swung his sword left…then right. Taking the heads of the two pilots. He shut down the main power then pulled out his com link. A small blue figure of a Jedi came up from the hand sized plate. “Transport one is down.” Aan said. “Good. Transports four and six are down as well. Tishok is enroute with the other pilots to take out their star cruiser.”  
“Let’s hope the force is with him.” Said Aan. “Let’s hope the force is with all of us.” The other Jedi said. Aan clicked off his com link, then reactivated it. The image of one of the padawans came up. “Yes master?” He said. “Just checking to make sure every things okay.” Aan replied. “Everything is fine master. We sense a lot of turbulence up there.” The padawan returned. “It’s a little rough. Nothing we can’t handle though. Hey. I just want to let you know. You’re not going to be stuck with assignments like these much longer. I know you want to prove yourselves as fighters. I’m proud of you both for being patient.” Aan was addressing both. “Thank you master. If you need us, let us know.” “I will.” Aan said, then turned off his com link.

Aan brought his saber down slicing into the control panel of the cockpit. Then turned behind him and held his hand out. His eyes were closed in deep concentration. His hand trembled a little. A panel on the back wall began to glow. “Danger. Power coupling overload.” The onboard computer said. That was Aan’s intention. Overload the circuits to destroy the carrier and the two hundred droids waiting inside. He jumped back through the front window just as the cockpit sparked and flames burst out from all around.  
Aan hit the ground running. In the distance, he could see two very large hover droids giving the third squadron some trouble. He used burst of speed and charged through the thick brush on the forest floor. As he approached the squirmish he force leapt into the air against a tree. He kicked his feet off the trunk and flew back. In a slow back flip he soared. Landing on top of one of the hover droids. He stepped a few times to get firm, then brought his sword up in front of his face deflecting a blaster bolt from the other hover droid.  
Aan ran a few steps and jumped the twelve or so feet over to the other droid. Spinning his saber, he took out the main turret gun. Fire from the other droid was coming now. Down, side, diagonal left, up, he took a few steps and jumped back across the way. Landing on the first droid he sliced through the turret gun. Then with a wide downward arc brought the blade of his sword through the front “Head” of the robot. Sparks flew and smoke billowed as the droid started to head for the ground. As the front tipped Aan ran up the slanting droid and jumped off its back end.  
Landing back on the second droid, he was met by two humanoid soldiers on flying gunnery bikes. Spraying the area with repeat laser fire. With a speed, so fast the blade of the sword became a propeller rather than a weapon shot back a barrage of fire aimed directly at him. Ting ting ting ting ting ting was the repeated sound of each blast bouncing off the surface of the shield, sent right back at the same trajectory destroying the first bike. Aan took a couple steps and jumped off the large hover droid towards the second bike. Landing on the front the quickly hoped and kicked his feet in front of him knocking the soldier backward through the air. The bike wobbled a little as Aan got situated.  
By the time Aan got control of the bike the other huge hover droid had turned and fired two rockets from under its wing. Aan reacted fast. Engaging his vehicle, he took off through the tree’s. Now being followed by two rockets and a hover droid. The rockets were easy enough. Zig zagging through tree’s in a dense forest the rockets aren’t the concern. It’s misjudging your distance and running into a tree yourself is the concern. He steered through the thick brush with expert skill. The rockets long gone he was now trying to get a position where he could engage that damn droid!  
Finally coming into a clearing Ann shot straight up in the air. He flew in a backward circle to position behind his pursuer. Coming to its rear he fired his double barrel blaster cannons. The stream of laser fire was like a drill that cut right through the metal droid. It exploded in midair. A sense came over him. His comlink went off. When Aan activated it the form of one of the padawans came in view. “Open com to all Jedi! We need help at the castle! Were under attack! We need your help!” Katrak the other Jedi knight that was currently on the planet responded and was calming the students. Aan put is com link away and took off.

Part of the castle was on fire. Flames poured from the windows in the left wing. The smoke from the blaze formed a giant cloud shrouding the building in shadow. Droids and soldiers were attacking the outside walls. Aan activated his com link “Open call to all captains. The castle is under attack, we need reinforcements, any available resource must be rerouted to the castle!” He closed his comlink and put it away. Running up behind a group of soldiers positioned behind an armored transport. He brought his sword in a downward strike taking off one of the enemies’ hands. Swinging his sword in a diagonal left spinning upward strike, bringing his sword through the armor and chest of the adjacent man. Bringing his spin into a full circle he brought his sword around the top of his head and sliced in a downward diagonal strike across the chest of the one-handed trooper. Spinning backward and ducking under an electro rod he brought his sword in a straight mid-section thrust once again piercing the metal armor at both ends as the laser blade ran through him. He jumped in the transport and stood at the Repulsor gun mounted at the top. Firing at the few other vehicles in the area, taking them out of commission. He got behind the steering wheel and drove right up to the front doors, parking lengthwise forming a shield. Driver side facing the entrance Aan got out of the vehicle and ran through the main foyer and headed down the right corridor.

He went through a door at the end of the hall. One of the padawans was fighting off three assailants. The other fighting back the troops coming through a giant hole that had been blown through the wall. Aan took his light saber and jumped into action. Heading first to the fighting closest the secret entrance to the underground chamber. He couldn’t let the enemy get close enough to throw a detonator down the stairway. He brought his sword straight out cutting off an attack at the padawan. He stepped between them and with a few well-placed movements cut the soldier into three pieces. Aan and the padawan fought side by side. Swinging their blades battling the attack force set on destroying everything in sight. Having taken out the soldiers by the secret entrance way Aan and the padawan headed towards the window. As they did Katak came flying through from outside, blue sword Blazing. Together the four of them fended off the attack. As Aan and one of the padawans continued to fight, Katak and the other learner put their swords away and together used the force to bring the ceiling and rest of the blown-out wall down on top of the rest of the soldiers, blocking the way into the room. 

Having fended off the attack the four took a moment to catch their breath. Suddenly the ground began to rumble. The loud hum of massive engines could be heard. Reinforcements had arrived. The four Jedi stayed on guard for the next ten minutes until Katak and Aan’s com links went off. They both activated them and received simultaneous transmissions. “The perimeter is secured. Enemy units have been contained.” 

 

 

CHAPTER TEN

 

JayCee stood at the helm drinking his taggar juice. He looked at the blinking lights on the control panel. It always intrigued him for some reason, flying through hyper space. The speed of light. One hundred eight six thousand Miles per second. Coordinates had to be exact. At those speeds an impact with another ship, or an asteroid, meteor, anything would literally blast you into dust in a micro second. But there couldn’t be that many straight lines to any destination, anywhere, without hitting a star. There wasn’t. Intersecting stars in the path set at certain trajectories, and certain speeds are anticipated, and compensated for. So in reality you were traveling through space bobbing and weaving around the stars. You can’t feel it though because of inertia. What was intriguing to JayCee was that such precise calculations, such important and delicate actions were left completely in the hands of computers. “Such blind faith.” he thought.

He turned and walked through the door, down the stairs into the main living area. His long dark gray robes flowing behind him. He had chosen gray because it was in the middle. Between black and white. Equal shades of each. His sword was equal parts light and dark, his clothes, as well as his name. SIDI. A combination of the two-main force using powers of the time. Si from Sith. And Di from Jedi. Pronounced (Si-Die) it was the coolest sounding combination he could come up with. He thought of Jedith, Ith Die, Gray warrior, Force sorcerer, Forcerer, Knight, Force knight, and a whole host of other possible things to call himself. But in the end, he always came back to Sidi.  
In the five years past he had grown quite strong. He was now a class five Aikitaijitsu master, had mastered the integration of not only Sith and Jedi saber techniques, but also the ancient sword techniques of Albumshu, of Mandalore, Twinquian, of Dathomir, and fatha Derim, of Mon Calamari, as well as his own personal techniques and skills into a never before seen mastery of swordsmanship. Other weapons he learned as well. JayCee was currently entertaining the idea of attempting to create light saber nun chucks. The idea made him laugh. Perhaps someday he’ll try it. Maybe not.  
He had also finely tuned his way with the force. Combining both light and dark side techniques, He was not a master yet however. There was one piece of the puzzle still missing. He could use and control each side separately but not simultaneously. There was something missing, the last piece of the riddle that made the complete union possible. 

After his first encounter with Force lightning JayCee set out to strengthen his resistance to such an attack. Starting slow he got used to small doses of electricity. Over time he increased the volume. After the first year of training he could with stand up to eight hundred Kilovolt’s. By the end of three years could catch electricity and redirect it with his bare hands. And at current with five years has mastered not only catching it, but also stumbled upon the secret to creating it. It requires a mass amount of hatred, anger, and the desire to kill or maim, (He could see why the Jedi abstain from that level of emotion) then once achieved took great skill to control.

His training was complete aside from that one last elusive element of harmony with the light and dark sides. Other than that, he was a fully functioning and capable user of the force. The first of his kind…Sidi.

He was close to home. It would be nice to get away from this for a bit. Being home was like being on vacation. Hide in his little hole for a bit and recoup. As they came through the thin atmosphere it revealed a greenish planet called Mandalore. Made up of jungle, sea, and desert. Host species is human, and is his home planet. The planet he was born on. Its main export was star ships and mercenaries. The standard day was nineteen hours.  
The craft landed on a platform floating above a city. He and Tosh boarded a transport that took them into the city. Getting off the transport they crossed the crowded sidewalk and entered a building. The lift took them to the one hundredth floor. The top level of the building. JayCee liked the view. With his skills of manipulation, it was not hard for him to get money, or get whatever apartment or building he liked. His favorite method of making money was gambling. He would clean out entire tables of everything they had. One night he came home with five hundred thousand three hundred thirty-six credits. 

The Jedi say not to take advantage of people. Mind tricks for personal gain is against the code on the basis that to influence someone to give up what they have, it takes away their free will. If someone can’t pay their heating bill because you mind tricked them into giving you their money, then their baby gets sick and dies because of it, you are responsible. By affecting an outcome that wouldn’t have otherwise happened. You never know what small insignificant thing can cause a very large reaction. Only for the purposes of helping people, or in the greater interest of others should such skills ever be employed.  
The Sith however say if it feels good do it. They view it as such. Everybody possesses the ability to use the force. Whether through meditation, prayer, belief in one god, or many gods. Every person calls out to the creative intelligence responsible for the creation of the universe to affect their physical lives. Compared to the population of the galaxy, the number of force users is extremely small. The Sith believe that the ability to physically use the force from birth, is a gift bestowed on very few. To not use it to better your own life would be an insult to the universal essence that gave it to you in the first place.  
The Sidi believe that it is wrong to pray upon the innocent. To rob a bank would take money from innocent hard working people that have nothing to do with your agenda. That lack of money could lead to any number of financial hardships to undeserving people. Same with running a public scam. Or taking from a public charity donation box. The Sidi cannot do anything that would set a person away from their destiny. The guilty on the other hand are completely different. If you rob people, are a rapist, a cheat, an abuser, a criminal, a liar, or a scoundrel who preys on others, then it’s just poetic justice that you get it in the same fashion you gave it.

To that end JayCee decided that it would be okay to take from crooked gamblers.  
He took Tosh to one of his favorite gambling houses. She sat back at the bar watching JayCee in action. He was using the force to make easy money, but in a way, that didn’t take from good people. Just one night at the tables could fund JayCee’s other adventures for months. Tosh looked on with intense interest. A wave of his hand and three people would fold. A mere suggestion would have people throwing all their money on the table. Within two hours he had over twenty thousand credits. Every time someone got upset JayCee would place his hand on their shoulder and say “Listen friend I’m not your enemy. You lost the game, now just walk away.” He would take his hand off them and they would silently leave. Now ready to leave JayCee sat at the bar next to Tosh and ordered a drink. Looking at him Tosh said “Are you allowed to drink? I thought that was forbidden.” To which JayCee replied “To a Jedi or Sith… Not me.” With that he slammed his drink and they left.

Both having been hungry stopped at a restaurant to eat. Tosh had never had Mandelorian food before. She was excited to try something new. “This is my favorite restaurant on this planet. I make it a point to stop here every time I’m on world.” JayCee said. Tosh leaned forward sipping her drink through a straw. “So, I know about Jedi, and Sith, what they are, who they are, and for the most part what they stand for. But who makes up your rules, and codes. Who determines what guidelines the Sidi follow?”

JayCee made himself comfortable in his chair. He arranged his drink so he could reach it easily. He knew what kind of conversation was about to take place…And it was going to be a long one. He replied to Tosh. “I do.” Tosh was about to say something but JayCee cut her off. “You see, there are many types of force users. Believe it or not there are more than just the Jedi and the Sith.  
There are the Followers of Palawa. Ancient hermits of Bunduki. They studied the scientific aspect of the force. From a realist perspective, they could influence the force in a scientific way.  
Sorcerer’s of Tund existed in the outer rim territories. They predated the Jedi by thousands of years. In a medieval time, the sorcerer’s, used the force by summoning magickal spells. Incantations, waves of the hand. In their prehistoric mind view, they thought they were channeling supernatural forces. Which they were. We just don’t consider it magick anymore. It is said that many Jedi principles were adopted from these people’s beliefs.  
The Baron Do Sages lived on the planet Dorin. Keeping to themselves for the most part, they were very similar in most respects to how the Sith and Jedi are today.  
Then there’s the Mercosa order. These protectors of the House Maceti in the Tapan sector were the royal bodyguards of the king and all his kin. Specially selected and trained warriors whose sole purpose in life was to protect the royal family.  
And many, many others. The Kraath, Jensaarai, Aing-Ti, Matukai, Even force witches. That’s right, Force…Witches. Very, very solitary living in the marsh and swamp planets around wild space, the unknown region, and the very, very, outer rim territories. They live cursed lives as decrepit humanoid creatures, using the oldest known form of force influence. Casting nasty spells, paying men extravagant favors of fame, fortune, wisdom, etc. All force witches use the full dark side, and making a deal with them usually ends in you forfeiting your soul. They were the first force users, tens of thousands of years ago, and they are still around today. I’ve heard stories of powerful witches that live in the Dagoba system.  
You see it’s not that unusual or farfetched to think that I might have found yet another way of viewing the force. Every order, every interpretation, had to start, somewhere right? With somebody.”

He took a drink from his glass to wet his throat and continued. “The Jedi and Sith are simply the current force users in power at this moment in history. One hundred, one thousand, or ten thousand years from now they will be just another part of history, and the new system of force users will tell ancient stories about Jedi of the past. 

Tosh sitting forward intrigued, asked “So you’re not good or bad?” JayCee replied “It depends entirely on who is asking. You may not think it’s good or bad. But that person.” He pointed at a man sitting at a table across the room. “May feel that it’s wrong for me to use my power for personal gain, that man.” He pointed at another man “May believe that it’s fine to use the skills I was born with to make my life whatever I want it to be. And yet still others may believe that with my powers I inherited the responsibility to protect others. Now which one of them is correct?”

Tosh sat back in her seat “What do you mean?” JayCee replied “The way it seems people think around the universe is there is only one answer. There is good or there is evil. There is right or there is wrong. A vast majority of the galaxies population fail to realize there is more than just option one or option two. There are many variables, and different shades of reason for certain things. You might think it’s an oxymoron being trained by both Sith and Jedi. I know what you’re thinking ‘How can I learn the ways of both good and evil. Don’t they cancel each other out? How could I summon the hatred required to use force lightning while at the same time use the power of love to lift a Repulsor cannon off a dying man?’ The truth is it’s not that difficult.”  
JayCee made himself more comfortable in his chair and took a drink from his glass. “Hypothetical situation. You get into an argument with your sister. You’re pissed. So, mad your throwing things around, yelling, and slamming the door as you leave. Your sitting at the dining room table and your toddler son leans over and spills his drink all over your important work papers. Being already mad at a separate situation most people would fly off the handle. They would yell at their son for his stupidity, rant about the important work that was just destroyed, then tell their son to go away. You don’t want to be around him right now; he’s just getting in the way…He runs off crying.  
Or you realize that your mad at your sister. Not your son. He didn’t mean to spill his drink, he was just curious about what you were doing and wanted to help. You tell your son you know it was a mistake, he’s not in trouble, and you love him.  
In scenario one the anger wins. You let it take control of you, and you end up hurting an innocent person. In scenario two, even though you are still just as mad as you ever were… you could contain it. You kept your anger at your sister directed at her, where it belongs. The Sith and Jedi in my opinion limit themselves emotionally.  
The Sith live in a state of perpetual anger. Mad at everybody and everything, willing to sacrifice anything for their own purposes. They refuse to feel love or joy because they think it makes them weak…Soft.  
The Jedi live in perpetual love. Sacrificing everything they have to help people. They think not of themselves but of others. They refuse to feel anger or malice because those emotions hurt people. They blind you to the needs of others. The Jedi believe that once you start down the dark path forever it will dominate your life.”

The food arrived at the table. Bright green strands stood curled on one side of the plate, meat steaks over lapped in the bottom section drizzled with a purplish gravy. Filling the blank space left on the plate was a fan arrangement of sliced potatoes. The air filled with the wonderful aroma of seasonings blending with the proteins. Tosh took her utensil and took a bite of the green vegetable. Her face lit up with amazement. “This is wonderful!! I’ve never had anything like this in my life!!!!” JayCee smiled as he took a bite of his potatoes. “I stumbled on this place one day while I was learning my way around the city. This might be my favorite place to eat in the whole galaxy.” Tosh’s mouth was too full to respond, but she nodded her head in agreement. She swallowed her food and asked “So then what’s the purpose of a Sidi? The Jedi exist to protect. The Sith exist to dominate. Where do the Sidi stand?” 

JayCee had to think for a moment. “I guess since I’m the only one…I don’t have a higher purpose. At least not yet. I do what I do and things seem to cross my path.” Tosh squinted her eye’s in confusion. “What do you mean ‘Things cross your path ‘.” JayCee chuckled a bit. “There was one time a few years ago, I came across a small group of runaway slaves from the planet Serum. Their ship’s sub light engine reactor broke down and they were dead in space. I didn’t have to help them. But I could feel their fear. I was compelled to help them. I did more than simply take them aboard my ship and take them to safety. After hearing their stories and feeling their despair I was so enraged and full of hatred that I went back to their home planet and liberated it.” Tosh cut him off “Are you talking about the insurgence that freed Serum from the hundred-year occupation? That, was you?” JayCee answered “Yeah… So, there’s a good example of what it means to be Sidi. Using my love and compassion I rescued a group of people from freezing in space. Using hatred, I destroyed the entire occupation that plagued their home.”

Tosh giggled. “So, did you go back and take the group back home since it was safe again?”  
“Hell no!! I gave them a ride and freed their people. I’ve done enough. Let them find their own damn ride!” They both laughed and ate a few more bites. JayCee started talking again. “Even though it felt good to kill all those people, and the power I felt was incredible. In the end the joy that I felt at having helped those people won over and subsided my rage. But yeah, the force puts things in my path and I either accept the challenge or I don’t.”

Tosh, finishing another bite of food asked “Has there ever been a time when you didn’t help? Was there ever a time that you walked away?” JayCee took a bite of food and a sip from his glass. “Not with innocent people. Slaves, refugee’s, the poor, homeless, or children, no. However, there was one time I went behind a gambling house to collect a debt from the owner. I came into a back room where a man was being held. He was beaten, tortured, and starved. He was at deaths door. I could feel his emotion. He had scammed the house, and made off with over two hundred thousand credits. He didn’t steal the money to feed his family, or to afford an operation for his sick grandmother or anything like that. He was simply a greedy liar. He was found, brought back, and was now paying the cost of his deceit. Now see, the Jedi would have helped the man. The way I figure it, every person should know the circumstances of their dealings. If you are unwilling to accept the consequences of your actions, you shouldn’t take that action. The man had to have known stealing from a mob gambling house would have these kinds of repercussions. He made his own decision and must therefore pay. It was not my place to interfere so; I did nothing.”

Tosh, listening intently fired another question. “So then…If the man had stolen to feed his family. Would you have helped him?”  
“Yes.” He answered matter of factly. “It would have been a crime of desperation. Not greed. The instinct to survive is the one thing all species have in common. Especially if there are children involved. I defy anyone to say they would act any differently. When your family, your children are freezing in the street and starving. The line between right and wrong becomes nonexistent. There is only the will to live. I absolutely would have helped him.”  
“I guess I’m still a little confused. I thought stealing was stealing and stealing was wrong.”  
“That’s a Jedi point of view. Crime should be judged by the intention of the action. Not the action itself. It’s about what lies in the heart of the offender. Is it for selfish personal gain? Or is it out of lack of any other options? That’s what I meant by what I said earlier about there not being one correct answer. Crime can come from any number of reasons.” 

Tosh. “So. Basically, you don’t hold to one particular view or another. You just kind of hang out and see what comes your way? Let me ask then, you decide who deserves your help and who doesn’t. Isn’t that like playing god? Who gave you the power to decide who lives and who dies?”

JayCee. “The same force that allows Jedi or Sith to do the same. The Sith dominate and destroy everything they come across. Innocent or not. When they take over a moon settlement, or a planetary division, they kill everybody in sight then claim the land or object for themselves. They decide who lives and who dies based on what they decide to take control of.  
The Jedi help people. They never get involved unless asked first. However just because someone asks them for help doesn’t mean they get it. There have been multiple occasions that a sovereign system, or slave camp, reached out to the Jedi for help, but were denied for whatever reasons. In that sense the Jedi decide who lives and who dies based on what assignments they choose to accept.  
What I do is no different from them. Or anybody else for that matter, a man walking down the street who sees a woman being attacked makes the same decision. Based on whether that person calls the authorities, intervenes himself, or walks away, it could be said that he made the decision on if the woman lives or dies, based on the action he chose to take.”

Tosh responded with. “What if it was your destiny to help that person? What if the force put you in that spot at that time so you could help?”

JayCee. “Fate, and destiny are loaded subjects that will never be resolved. Let’s say you see a child in danger from…I don’t know…A gang of thugs. Now let’s say in this first scenario you help the boy. You fend off the attackers and save his life. Now years later, his mind still twisted over what happened to him develops anger issues. Over time he releases his aggression on innocent people, and ends up becoming a serial killer. By your actions of kindness to save one life, you could be indirectly responsible, for many deaths. From that stand point it would have been better to have let the child die. Or let’s say in the second scenario you save the boy, and years later as a grown up becomes a civil leader who ends up putting the gangs in jail, cleaning up the streets, and creates a safe environment for civilization to flourish in peace. Then you did the right thing. Let me ask you a question. Do you believe in fate? That everything happens for a reason?”

Tosh shook her head. “For the most part I guess.”

JayCee “Then how do you know that a person who is about to die isn’t supposed to die. Disrupting the delicate balance of who lives and who dies per the creative intelligence of the universe could have very dark consequences.”

Tosh was taken aback. She hadn’t thought of it in these terms before. Although she never heard of a force user referring to a living creative being that was responsible for creation before. She was now even more curious. “You talk about the creative intelligence of the universe. Do you believe in god?”

JayCee took another drink from his glass and ordered another one. “Religion is a touchy subject. People get offended way too easily. There are many different religions, and systems of thought throughout the galaxy. Some believe that god is a man. Some believe god is a woman, others believe god is not a humanoid form. I say God created the universe, and all living things in it. But doesn’t take any particular shape. Think of how many different species there are. Not just sentient, but fish, animals, plants, insects, even bacteria. How many worlds are there, and all so different. Planets with blue skies, and orange sunsets, some planets like this one are green, with two suns, if you walk out of this building and look around you’ll find four different kinds of tree’s, probably six different kinds of birds will fly overhead, and in the space of nineteen hours (One full day) you will see the sky and atmosphere turn seven different colors. I don’t think God would limit itself to just one form, or style of creature. Hence the force, no shape, no style, pure omni-presence.”

JayCee could feel her emotions. Confusion was in the forefront of her mind. JayCee amended his explanation a little bit. “You know how everybody seems to say the same thing. God is everywhere. He is in all things at all times, every meteor, every planet, every blade of grass or drop of rain. God is omnipotent. Omnipresent, with the capacity to hear every prayer from every person at any time, and has the ability to help those it feels deserves it. It’s seems to me to make sense that god only chooses physical form to interperate something to a specific race of people. That’s why there are so many forms. It is also said that all living beings are spiritual. When we die, our physical body is left behind and only our energy moves on. What is energy? It can spread and disperse over a large area. The power of god is no different, except for the ability to cover itself over all of creation. It makes more sense to me that god would not have any form. The energy and intelligence exists without the need of a physical body.”

Tosh’s mind was reeling. She had never stopped to think of it that way. “If that’s true, then why would god allow bad things to happen to people? Why would god allow the Sith to use its divine energy to do evil things? Or is there an opposite god that works against the good one?”

JayCee. “That is a matter for the individual to figure out on their own. Some religions believe that there are two gods in opposition to each other. A god of pure love and goodness would be incapable of such evil. However, that thought process inhibits gods power. It can hardly be omnipotent if it has limitations. Then there are others such as myself who believe that there is the one intelligence and that’s it. Responsible for both good and evil.”

Tosh responded “But why does evil have to exist in the first place?”

JayCee. “As a counter balance. How can you know love if you haven’t experienced hate? How can you appreciate all the gain in your life without experiencing loss? There are extreme’s that I even wonder what purpose the event could possibly serve, but that’s not our place to question such things. As far as heaven or hell or an afterlife is concerned I believe there is an afterlife. The decision of whether you go up or down is up to the force.”

Tosh didn’t know what to think now. “So, God. The all loving all powerful being that created all of us out of love, would simply send its creation to an afterlife of torment? That doesn’t sound like perfect love to me.”

JayCee. “If you have children you love them, right?”

Tosh nodded her head.

JayCee. “They were created out of love. You take care of them, teach them, and protect them. You would do anything for them, right?”

Tosh again nodded her head. 

JayCee. “But. If your child is bad you ground them, spank them, reprimand them, and punish them, right? Not out of hate or evil, but out of love. You are responsible for raising this little person the best you can. Sometimes tough love is necessary to get the point across.  
The parents are responsible for love and praise, as well as punishment. When the kids are bad you don’t call someone else to come discipline your children for you. To me saying that God only rewards and leaves punishment to the Devil is calling God weak. Saying that God lacks the conviction to use tough love on a stubborn child who just won’t listen…So to sum up. The force is God in its purest from. Beings like me are gifted with the ability to tap in directly to its power for both good and evil. Whichever one is in dominant power at the time is up to the creatures swimming around in this giant Petri dish we call the universe. Kind of like Gods giant ant farm experiment. Let’s do this, and this, and this, and see what happens. I don’t presume to know the grand design of everything, these are just my personal views.”

Tosh sitting in front of an empty plate, took a drink from her glass. She said nothing. JayCee could feel her emotions. She was processing all this new information. She agreed with him. He could feel that she was more at ease around him now than she ever was before. The bill came and Jaycee paid it. They stood and left.

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

As they made their way back to JayCee’s penthouse he started to get an uneasy feeling. Something seemed out of place. The closer he got to home the worse it felt. JayCee stepped to the street held out his hand and a public transport stopped in front of them. “Get in.” JayCee said. “Where exactly am, I going?” Tosh asked stepping toward the vehicle. “Just around the block for like twenty minutes.” JayCee replied. Tosh answered back “So what sit in the back seat, watch a holocron and wait for you? Why don’t you want me back in your apartment?” JayCee looked at her. “I think I have uninvited guests. I have an uneasy feeling; I’m keeping you safe.” With that he shut the door. He walked around to the droid built into the driver’s seat. “Go one block west of here and wait. Keep the meter running if you want.” He pulled out a pack of red credits and gave them to the bot. “Do not leave without me.” The droid nodded its head and left.

JayCee turned and walked into the building. Riding the turbo lift to his pent house that took up the entire floor, he prepared. He held his hand out and used the force to open the top hatch. The shaft continued up for at least twenty feet from the final stop on its chain, so he didn’t have to worry about being crushed. Something he had checked before moving in.  
The lift opened. There was a small explosion inside. The flames went out quickly revealing no one inside the lift. An armor suited man walked inside looked around then exited. “I don’t know why it came all the way up here. Someone must have hit the wrong button or something.” He said through an electronic speaker in his battle helmet. The others walked up to him looked at him and hit him upside the head. “And you fire a rocket right inside with nobody in it. You don’t think somebody’s going to find that odd? If he were here we could escape. But we can’t leave till the jobs done.” He walked away into the large main living area. It was probably seventy feet wide at least. Separated by only a few smaller rooms the rest of the apartment was one giant open space. All the exterior walls were plasti glass giving him a full view of the city. The assassins had set the tinters so the walls were currently black. 

The two assassins walked back over to the long luxurious seat in front of the main holocaster. Four ASN-121 Assassin droids were stationed around the large room. Humanoid droids specially built and programmed specifically for espionage, and covert operations. Motion sensors, laser targeting, reinforced metal armor, built in arm blasters, infrared sight, heat scanners, and all the tactful intelligence and agility of the most skilled warrior. 

The lift doors closed. JayCee climbed up the service ladder, out the top maintenance hatch and was standing on the edge of the roof. Pulling out his tri weave cable and grappling hook from his utility belt he secured the hook around the railing and the hatch. Testing to make sure it was secure he ran toward the roofs edge and jumped off the side. Swinging on his cable he kicked his legs out and used the force to gently land on the lower roof of his apartment. Closing his eyes and holding out his hand he imagined in his mind the grappling hook unscrewing itself from the railing on the roof. Unwrapping and detangling from everything. Once done he gently called it back to him. Rolled up and back in its place JayCee traced across the roof with the skill of the finest trained shadow warrior. Amongst a few other skills, he picked up during his Aikitaijitsu training. 

Dropping silently behind the back door onto the terrace, he slowly lifted the tinted glass with his mind. When it got to his shoulders he stepped forward. Igniting his light saber. Using his force speed, he seemed to almost teleport from the entrance, to the closest droid. Bringing his light saber up through the robot’s torso splitting it in half lengthwise. He brought his blade to his right shoulder point down deflecting a blaster bolt. Then waved it to the left deflecting another shot.  
Wide stepping back with his right foot he brought his sword horizontally up in front of his face blocking a melee attack from another droid. The light saber blade sparked and cracked against the electrified rod. JayCee pushing against the rod stepped forward with his left foot so he ended behind the droid. Bringing his sword attached to the rod with him so the droid’s arms were up over its back. JayCee angled his sword inward and twisted his torso sharply to the left plunging the orange column of light straight through the assassin droids body.  
Grabbing the sword handle in an under-hand grip he pulled it from the droid as it fell. He slashed a backward Horizontal strike then came down attempting a slash through the top of the head. Missing he lunged back avoiding an upward strike from a horn blade. He stepped wide with his left foot bending at the waist as he brought his body around and under another attack. Finishing his movement, he put his weight on his right leg and snapped a powerful kick with his left foot into one of the armored assassin’s ribs sending him flying back. A sense went through him and he reflexively jumped in the air in a forward roll. As he did a small rocket went whizzing below him. He landed in a crouched position on foot and knee and immediately rolled across the ground. The explosion shook the building. Safety alarms were going off. The building would be evacuated now. Service droids came in droves to extinguish the flames.  
Finishing his roll, he kicked off the ground with his feet and sprung from a crouched position on the floor to sailing ten feet in the air. His assailants were all looking up trying to figure where he was going to land. JayCee crunched his stomach and pelvis in, concentrating all his energy in his center. Landing again in a semi squatted position he threw his arms out and yelled. Releasing his energy in a powerful shockwave. “HHHHAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” came from his vocal chords as everything in the room was blown back. Droids slammed against the wall, furniture slamming against them. One of the droids a sparking wreck. Once again donning his sword brought it around front with a double vertical spinning technique. He deflected a small stream of blaster fire from different directions, all deflected back in one direction. Without a second to react one of the living attempted killers was hit with ten blaster rounds at different angles to the chest and arms. He fell like a rag doll. 

Living beings fall differently that droids do. There was a different feeling to killing something living than destroying something manufactured. Perhaps it was the dark side in him but he preferred killing live things. Droids were ok, but there was just something about it that was more personal. JayCee figured it was because robots have no emotions, so killing people was more personal.

JayCee caught another sense but had no time to react. He was grappled by one of the ASN’s. It held him tight trying to squeeze the life from him. Using the force, he brought his arms straight out from his sides. Using as much physical strength as he could while also concentrating the force outward from his body. When the droid arms were out far enough he twisted to the right hunkered down stepped out with his right foot then back out of the hold. Grabbing the droids left wrist as he stepped back and pulled the arm in a downward circle flipping the robot on its back. He held his sword handle directly on the ASN’s chest and ignited it.  
As he stood yet another sense too late to do anything about hit him. These droids were fast!! He was grappled from the side again from the last droid assassin. This time with such force that they were sent through the glass wall. The total height of the building was almost fifteen hundred feet. After you add service lines and spacing between floors. They were falling at a rate of one hundred feet per second. Which meant JayCee had fifteen seconds to figure out what to do. They fell through overlapping lines of traffic almost getting hit. JayCee reached out with his feelings as much as he could at the moment and felt out a speeder about to pass. He grabbed the droid around the base of the neck and spun it down below him using it as a cushion of sorts. The roof of the speeder crumpled under the weight. It dipped down sharply and wobbled left and right regaining control. With the way, the droid was holding onto Jaycee the impact on the speeder caused the droids arm to tighten into its torso. JayCee’s left forearm snapped. He yelled and fell forward.  
In a moment of rage and desperation, anger swelled in him. His eyes turned red with a slight yellow tint in the cornea’s. Holding the droid down at the shoulder with his broken left arm he slammed his right hand on the ASN’s chest. With a loud guttural yell electricity streamed from his hand. Frying and melting the droid’s circuitry, it sparked and shuddered then fell limp.

Closing his eye’, he stretched out with the force. Calming himself he searched for another vehicle. Without opening his eye’, he leapt high into the air in a slow back flip. He opened his eyes. At this moment, he felt free. Eight hundred feet in the air, no safety devices, no guarantee’s. It was him and no one or nothing for just a second. It was exhilarating. He landed a few hundred feet lower on the back of a semi cargo loader. He estimated he traveled about three miles from his building. Feeling for yet another lower car he rode the cargo loader for a minute then leapt once again in the air. Vehicles travel so fast they make the distance of miles in almost seconds. Timing car jumping was impossible. Force users can only do it because they let go of themselves entirely and put their full trust in the force. Letting it control your body instead of you.  
Finally reaching the last level of traffic he was close enough to the ground to just jump off the speeder he was on. Using the force to slow his decent he landed safely on the ground. He walked a block and a half and got in the public transport with Tosh. 

Tosh looked at his rat’s nest of hair and rosy red windblown cheeks. His swelled red nose, and watery eyes made the whole combination of how he looked. Tosh hardly containing her smile said “Did you have fun?” JayCee looked at her and with a childish smile said. “Yeah…But we should probably go now.” Tosh looked behind her at the gathering of onlookers from the street, emergency vehicles, and people of all races, and types piling out of the buildings main lobby doors. Tosh looked at JayCee. “Do I have to ask or are you just going to tell me?” 

JayCee pulled the sleeve back over his left arm revealing a large bump under the skin. It was swelling and turning dark brown, and yellow. He closed his eyes, placed his right hand over the wound and sat back in the seat. “Assassins. Two humanoids, and four ASN-121’s” 

Tosh. “ASN’s! No fodder!!! Four!!!” She said with astonishment. “These guys really want you dead!!…Who?”

JayCee. “Hell, if I know. I’ve made many enemies over the years. I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I just want to get back to the ship and use the A.O.N. droid.”

Tosh leaned back in the seat. “The ship? The A.O.N.?” She raised her eyebrows.

JayCee knew what she meant. The fact that he referred to her ship, as the ship indicated that he was staying with her. He had no home now. His place of solitude had been compromised. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Didn’t you invite me to accompany you on your delivery to the Hutt’s? It would seem I am suddenly available.”  
Tosh just looked at him and smiled. 

Back aboard Tosh’s ship the Starkiller JayCee was in the medical bay being attended to by A.O.N. The droid was a one of a kind robot unique to anything else in the entire galaxy. A tripod robot. Each leg evenly spaced from the other around a fully rotating cylinder torso. It didn’t have feet. Rather the legs came down to points at the end. The legs were slightly flat. Two oval shapes connected by a knee hinge in the middle. Out from panels in the main cylinder were any medical tool you could want. Bone saw, codderizer, laser scalpel, tissue spreader, defibrillator paddles, and two operating hands. Thin and small to fit in tight openings. There were other compartments that held equipment. Gauze, bandages, antidotes to certain poisons, chemical burn, heat burn and trauma kits, etc. It was programmed with the anatomy of all known sentient species. The main cylinder was comprised of four rows of rotating compartments. Giving the medical droid the ability to mix and match necessary tools. Spreader with the scalpel with the operating hands, and such. At the top of the droid was a spinning dome with several different optical sensors. Its main sensor perceived light like a regular eye. However, on it was also an X-Ray scanner, another was an MRI scanner, another still was a holo projector, then there was the vital signs scanner / heat sensor. It was programmed with an artificial intelligence system designed entirely by Tosh. There was no other robot in the galaxy that looked quite like this one, or acted like it either. Tosh programmed it with a witty but sarcastic personality. Quite well spoken though. It was programmed also with almost every known language. The ability to communicate with any patient is important. It also made A.O.N. a handy interpreter. Exterior speakers allowed it to speak.  
The droid at normal operating height stood at five and a half feet. However, with its legs it could extend itself up to seven and a half feet or down to three and a half feet. 

When A.O.N. finished dressing JayCee’s arm he went to find Tosh. He found her in her shop. It would take about three days to reach Nal Hutta. All this time alone, I guess this is how she occupies herself. He peeked behind her shoulder and startled her. He looked down at the humanoid shape on the table. “What’s this?” He asked. “This.” She responded “Is my new bodyguard. Well. before you came along. I call it the A.nti A.ir & L.and E. vation E. xecution & N. eutralization A. ndroid. Or A.L.E.E.N.A. for short. She’s an extreme combat droid.”

Tosh was truly a mechanical genius. All that time she spent tinkering with robots instead of playing with other kids seems to have paid off. Obviously, another of her creative unique designs. A six-foot-tall female humanoid. Relatively slender it was covered by a light titanium alloy created for heavy artillery defense (Illegal). Each fore arm was equipped with rapid fire single barrel mini plasma blasters (Illegal) that came up from the upper left side. From the upper right side came one tightly wound expanding electrified capture nets on each arm (Illegal). From the middle of each palm a cover slid back exposing the barrel of a single shot close range energy blaster (Illegal). From the bottom of each forearm extended a two foot vibro blade. Made from Dorvinian magna steel (Illegal) it was charged with a triple phase binary power emitter charging the blades to 10.8 Malotechs (Illegal). Panels on the biceps lifted to reveal a row of micro pulse explosion rockets (Illegal). Panels on the droid’s outer thighs folded back exposing gun holsters. A sniper rail gun on the left side(Illegal), and three mini Korribanian blasters (Illegal). On the inner thighs were compartments filled with grenades and explosives (All illegal). The hands were clawed and sharp at the finger tips for maximum damage in hand to hand combat. The feet were clawed and sharp at the toes for maximum traction. Its eyes were programmed to receive light like a normal eye, but was also capable of infrared sight, and thermal scanning. It was equipped with external speakers for talking, and radio transmitters and receivers. 

“Why did you make it a girl?” JayCee asked leaning over her shoulder. “Because girls are better than boys.” She snapped back with a playful sneer. “She’s not ready yet. A few tweaks here and there, and I should finish her programming. I’m programming her with Aikitaijitsu, Mon Calamarian grappling, Albumshu sword technique, Shadow warrior stealth skills, reasoning and logic skills, combat tactics, everything!” She said with great enthusiasm. JayCee walked out of the room, across the giant cargo bay, and into one of the bed cabins. He pulled two small blue candles from inside his robe. He set them on the ground in front of him at each side. He sat crisscross on the ground put his right hand over his broken left arm, closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He concentrated and imagined his wound glowing a brilliant silver blue. 

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

The planet Yazmina was temporarily at peace. Now under the protection of the Jedi for the time being. “Masters!” Aan said with a pleading voice. “How can that be your decision!? These people need our help!”

Master one. “They have chosen exile. We sent you there to investigate rumors of a planet in that area. Not fight a war.”

Master five. “Their king has made it clear that they wish to remain anonymous to the universe. They have not requested our help.”

Aan. “And if they do?”

Master ten. “Then we will gladly do what we can. But not until that time.”

Aan. “Then I request permission to stay here and convince them.”

Master one. “We will discuss this more when you arrive here. Even if we grant you permission, there is business you must attend to.”

Aan, with a heavy sigh. “Yes, my master. I will be on the transport.” With that he turned off the holo cam. Aan was upset. The king wanted to accept their help. But certain influences within their government system prevented him from doing so. He checked his quarters to make sure he left nothing behind. Everything in its place he headed for the transport to meet with the other Jedi. Jazone was waiting to say goodbye. The seven-foot-tall hulking muscular man reached out to shake Aan’s hand. When Aan grabbed it Jazone pulled him in for a big hug.  
Aan looked up at his new friend. “I will return. As soon as possible. I will speak to the council and try to convince them to intervene.” Jazone putting his hand on Aan’s shoulder replied “Thank you my friend. I hope, by the time you get back we will still be here.” They looked at each other as Aan boarded the ship. 

The ship entered the atmosphere and faded from sight. King Jazone returned to his quarters. With the doors shut he sat alone in a chair with his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. “How will we survive this? I must get the people into the underground caverns.” He thought to himself. He pulled a communicator from his belt and held it to his mouth. “Commanders Tolowak, Sherim, Pulsa, And Dermitor to the king’s chambers.” He stood and collected himself.  
This may be tricky. He was the twenty seventh of his bloodline to ascend to the throne of Yazmina. However, his power was limited. While he could create nobles, pardon crimes, make laws, and everything else a king does. However, he had no power when the overall fate of the people is concerned. A deeply religious and superstitious species, they follow the word of the religious leaders. The essences of Alderia. Devoted priests who dedicate their lives to the service of the creator lord. They are said to have delved so deep into the spiritual relationship with the all being that they have been imbued with a different aspect of the creator’s overall essence. Through this they determine the will of Alderia and chose the paths that the people follow.

Jazone often found himself at odds with the quintuplet group. Almost every time some evil rose to threaten their way of life the council defied him. His people at times, seemed to follow them more than him. They were the ones opposing outside interference. “We never have nor ever will expose ourselves to the outside. They do not know of us by our design. It is the will of the almighty that we stand against this new evil ourselves. Remember my son. He is the only ally we need.” They had told him at their last meeting. Having extreme sway over the populace they convinced most the rest of the Yazminians as well.  
He could not let that happen. This course of action will take them into extinction! He must gather as many of his followers that were left and go underground. His commanders arrived, they all sat in a huddled whisper and began to discuss.

 

Meanwhile arriving back at Coruscant, Aan and the other Jedi arrived at the spaceport. It was good to be home. No matter how old he gets or how much he sees he can never get over the child like wonder that comes over him every time he returns from an exertion. The entire planet being one big city had such a different feel from any other planet. As much as he was glad to be here though, he couldn’t wait to get back to the people of Yazmina. It was good that he was back though, while here he needed to make some adjustments to his sword. After losing his original yellow blade he had to make a new yellow crystal from scratch. It was acting up, he needed to fix the solidifier of the outer crystalline casing. 

As he headed for the temple he passed through many different ideas on how to approach the council for their help. In the end, he figured it would just have to come from the heart. Arriving finally, he went straight through the large main doors and directly to the lift to the council main chamber. 

“Aan. Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.” One of the masters said. Ann dispensed no courtesy. “My masters we must do something. These people are being exterminated for no reason. They are blinded by evil forces within their own. They are being fooled into annihilation. Please let me take more Jedi back with so we can unmask this deceit.”

Another master leaned forward and put his hand to his chin. “Perhaps.” He said calmly. “But we cannot act without first receiving an invitation. It is enough that we are allowing you to return. And that is only because this will be a good exercise for your padawans first assignment.”

Aan looked a little stunned. “Begging your pardon master. But I have no padawan.”

“You do now.” Another chimed in. “It’s about time you passed your knowledge on. Believe it or not young Jedi but a student will teach you as much as you teach him.”

Aan bowed his head. “Yes master. I understand. Thank you for believing me to be ready for this challenge.”

“Opportunity.” The first master said sharply. “This is not an obstacle to be overcome. This is an opportunity to further yourself while simultaneously helping your little brother achieve his dream of knighthood.”

With that the chamber doors slid open and a twelve-year-old boy stepped through the door. One of the masters stood and walked across the room. “Come child. We are very glad to see you. Looking at the boy he motioned to Aan. This is Jedi master Aan Thoni. Aan Thoni, this is your new padawan Aul Exx. They shook hands and greeted each other. “All Jedi teachers are specially matched with their padawans. That’s why neither of you have been placed with anyone yet. You had to wait until this exact combination of the two of you was possible.” The master said placing a hand on each of their shoulders.

Aan and Aul both bowed. Aan said “May the force be with you.” Each of the council in unison said the same in return. However, another added “Good luck on your quest.” Aan and his new padawan learner turned and left. He was a fairly tall boy standing at five foot one inch. “Do you have your proficiency report?” Aan asked as they walked down the hall. The boy scrambled in his robe. “Yes master.” He said handing him a small plaque screen. Tapping sections on the screen Aan looked over his schooling records, and skills proficiency. “Applied science good, Math logic fair, Foreign languages decent, Telekinesis excellent, that’s good.” He said nodding his head. “Looks like you need some work with your saber skills.”  
“Yes master. I have difficulty trusting the force with my blade.” The young student replied. Aan chuckled a bit. “Not to worry my new friend. I will help you to know the subtleties of the force. It might take a while to get where were going. We will begin your training on the way.” 

Aul. “Master. May I ask where we are going?”

Aan. “First off, you don’t need permission to ask questions. If it’s not appropriate I will let you know. You are with me to learn, and you cannot learn without being curious. We are on our way to the planet Yazmina. A hidden world that may be in danger. Our assignment is to convince their leaders to accept our help.”

Aul. “Cool.”

After three days resting they set out for their journey. When they got to their ship Aan turned back and looked at his home world. He closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath through his nose, held it, and blew it out hard from his mouth. He did this every time he left Coruscant. Just in case the force determined he wouldn’t come back. 

Aul watched his new mentor and did the same. As he looked out over the cityscape a flood ran though his mind. He had been in the Jedi order since he was six months old. His grandfather was a Jedi. His father was a force born given his father’s background, and he himself was second generation force born. His father wanting the bloodline to continue had an affair outside the order. Hence where he came from. He was kind of a mixed species. When he was born, his father alerted the Jedi acquisitions. He was inducted and raised. His mother was half Nagi half Mustifarian. His father three quarters Yuuzan one quarter Ithorian. Being influenced by that many sources he ended up with skin that changed from light to dark blue. Depending on atmospheric conditions. His eyes had a black shade to them with blue retinas, sharp teeth and a pointed nose. His hair was black. A short neat cut except for his braid on the side and small ponytail in the back. At twelve years, old he stood at five feet one inch. He was slender. Not very muscular but toned. 

He didn’t necessarily lead a boring life. He was exposed to many learning stimuli, socialized with others, and cared for in every way. Being stern when they needed to. Even Jedi toddlers throw tantrums. However, they were worse. In fits of rage or contempt at not getting their way their emotions run out of control. Often sending any number of random objects flying. With the force running in his family Aul had a natural ability to influence his midi-Chlorians. He seemed born already attuned to the force’s wavelength. 

He had done well enough in his education. Scoring mostly in the high mid-range. Not a genius. But the ability to use the force doesn’t depend on how smart you are. He was ready now. Though slightly dismayed. He had hoped his father would end up to be his master. “This guy will do though. He seems nice enough.” Aul thought to himself. Now was his time. His time to show everybody just what he could do. To bring honor to his bloodline. A sudden smile came to his face. He suddenly couldn’t wait to get going. He rushed aboard the ship with eager anticipation.

 

 

Jazone stood gazing out a wall of glass. The back wall of his throne room opened to a beautiful blue green field. A few twisting light brown trees with brilliant pink leaves sprung up here and there. Surrounding his castle, it was the perfect buffer for the city that had been built around it, except for the cliff behind. It had been built by the edge of a massive Cliffside overlooking the ocean. and the city extended out from there. The top floor of the castle opened at the top of the stairs to a fifteen-foot-wide wrap around balcony. A four-foot-tall railing surrounded the edge leaving the entire entry way completely open. Other than that, it was identical to the bottom floor. The halls were the same except at the end instead of doors there were giant windows, and a staircase to the side. Directly facing the stairs was a grand double door way that lead to a huge throne room. Massive columns spaced in the center of the room held up its giant frame. The thirty-foot-tall glass wall in the back faced the rear of the castle, overlooking the cliffs and out to the sea. Mometta had been named after the first king of Yazmina ten thousand years ago, before that Yazmina was ruled by many kings, of many lands. They conquered each other. They stole from one another. Wars were constant. The world would have died from poverty and destruction. Then came the silence. In one night, all the kings had been slain. 

A new power rose. The essences of Alderia. Four Yazminian beings who claimed to have become one with God. The direct living counterparts of Alderia herself. Over time as the physical body decays and one dies a new elect is chosen to take its place. They appointed one overall king of the planet. Under the grace of Alderia he would rule all Yazminians as one people. Evil would rise to challenge the authority of the king. Conspirators would plan coups to bring back the old ways, war still happened, and evil still rose. But united under the protection of the Essences, good always prevailed. 

The discovery of the rest of the universe did little to change life on Yazmina. After witnessing the great hyperspace war and both the Sith wars, they decided there were more dangers out there than comforts. Besides, the Essence didn’t like the thought of outside influences. They had everything exactly how they wanted it. They did not need influences of open mindedness, or free thinking. At every opportunity, The Essences would disway its people from showing any interest in the other worlds. At times people, would become curious and start asking questions. They would soon disappear or die suddenly. Freedom groups would rise. They would talk of broadening horizons, exploring new territories. They were branded heretics and non-believers. They would be strung up for public view while they were tortured to death.

Over the span of centuries their control over the planets inhabitants was entire. Their rein of power complete. They ruled with a tight leash and a firm grip. Jazone knew what he was. A non-believer. He saw through the lies, and shadows of The Essences. He knew their true nature. Vile, selfish creatures. They ceased to be Yazminian and became something else. Evil in the guise of good. Kidnappers of souls. They would soon realize their folly. In their vein attempt to keep what they have they will cause their own destruction. Jazone knew Yazmina would not stand up to this new outside invading force. The Essences will soon fall… And all their followers with them.

Jazone knew what would become of him if he went public with his ideas. Instead he would have to be quiet. Gathering members of his party secretly... Carefully. He also had to keep in mind the possibility of traitors who might inform The Essences of his plot. His four commanders were his most trusted confidants. They would return with credible men. As much as it pained him to let his people go, he also knew the truth that they weren’t really his people. They had appointed a king only as a figurehead. The Essences knew they would have more influence if they played they part of the trusted close friend as opposed to the authority figure itself.

The castle had a secret entrance to the underground caverns. Massive spaces deep underground. The planet was essentially hollow inside. A massive thermite core filled its center. From that, huge thousand-foot-wide columns shot out like support pillars holding up the Two-mile-thick shell that made up the surface of the world. Discovered hundreds of thousands of years ago, parts of the caverns were made into emergency shelters. Jazone knew he could use none of the charted areas, but Yazmina was two million Miles around. There was more undiscovered territory than discovered. He didn’t think there would be much problem there.

He exited the throne room at the top of the stairs, and went down the left hall. Entering the second door on the right he walked up to a holographic read out. He was in the war room. Officers and captains were busy all around him. Every time he looked up people saluted. “What’s the status on the barricade repair at the west gate?” He asked. "Almost complete your highness. All repairs on the outer perimeter are on schedule or ahead of schedule.” 

Jazone. “And military status?”

A holocording came up from a large table in the center of the room. “Navy units at seventy-three percent, ground troops ninety percent, droid unit’s sixty percent, Planetary ground transports seventy percent, planetary air transports sixty-seven percent, planetary aqua transports one hundred percent, Combat vehicles eighty-six percent, rations and supplies eighty-nine percent.” The computer responded.

He thought for a moment. “Is there anything special you wanted us to do my lord?” Said one of the officers. Jazone snapped out of his daze and addressed the officer. “No. No.” He stood for a moment then walked over to a console in the corner of the room and removed a few data chips. He placed them in his pocket and left. He returned to the throne room. Once there he turned to the right and through a set of large double doors that led to his personal quarters.

He placed one of the data chips in a console on the far wall. A hologram of the castles layout and the secret entrances throughout appeared. The passage to the caverns was just out in the throne room. If he could get everybody inside, he could activate the three-foot-thick metal barricade designed to protect him. They could escape through the passage and bypass the main intersection to the other routes. All the routes in the castle connected at the safe room. Except for this one. Only the king had a direct route to the caverns without having to first cross the safe room.

He took out the data chip and inserted another one. This time a layout of the charted regions of the underground caverns came up. Yellow lines marked safe passages, red areas were unsafe, purple marked water, and blue marked uncharted. He studied the readout closely. Blue intersected with red. Huge areas were shaded either color marking the difference between passages and caverns. He had to plan his route carefully. He couldn’t risk taking a route that could be cut off from somewhere else. Though it seemed he didn’t have a choice. The surface crust was riddled with tunnels. Which also gave him equal advantage. If they got cut off at one point they can change course and take a different route. 

He studied the readouts for many hours. Plotting the best possible course. 

He hoped his commanders were prosperous in their tasks.

 

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

On the planet Korrivaar in a chamber lit only by two black candles sat the soon to be Darth. Sith padawan Que Den sat in meditation. The pupil of the great Darth Kifo. At the age of two his family was killed in a Sith raid of their settlements. Recognizing him as a force user they spared his life and raised him in the dark order. He scored averagely in his educational studies but excelled in his force training. 

He was placed with his master in his mid-thirteenth year. Darth Kifo was a strict teacher. His do or die philosophy had almost killed the boy numerous times. His expectations were impossible to meet. However, Que couldn’t deny the results that came from such stringency. Just three years his power had grown tremendously. Naturally fearless he would drive head strong into the fray and decimate whatever forces may be in his way. 

Darth Kifo was one of the most powerful Siths alive. He was truly grateful to be his apprentice. However, he would like it if his master would give him an assignment of his own. Darth Kifo would sometimes leave the boy unattended at the temple while he pursued other business. Que sometimes wondered if his master was unhappy with him. Or if he had little faith in him. “I am stronger than he gives me credit for!!” He would often think. “He keeps me pent up!! It’s not fair!!!!” Every time he thought of this his rage would swell. His anger would grow. Usually his temper would win and some poor droid would meet its end.

His teacher was on his way back. He must be prepared. There was something different in his voice. When last, they spoke it seemed there was some change in the way he was addressed by his mentor. Whatever challenge he has for his student he would be ready. He meditated, attuning himself to the force. Hearing its will, influencing his will upon it. Strengthening his attachment to power by mental perspiration.

 

Hekk Taur approached his home planet. Landing on the main platform he exited the rear cargo door. The moon settlement proved to be not a complete waste of time. He received JayCee’s holocording. He pocketed the credits and checked the computers to get the exiting trajectory of the stolen craft. The computers were however, shut down. There was nothing to tell him which direction he went. 

He had stumbled across the Mon Calamarian vessel on a meteor settlement, but the trail went cold there. It was something. He tried not to get too over anxious. When you let your emotions spill like that they make you fumble and make stupid mistakes. As much as he wanted to race out into space and hunt JayCee down, he would not let it consume him, or distract him from his other duties.

Entering the main hall, he was met by Que Den, the six-foot-tall descendant of Ord Mandell was a mixed species. Being from what he knew part Corellian, part Dathomirian Mabey? Part something else. Either way he ended up with dark orange skin shaded with light orange stripes randomly placed throughout his body. All around his body also, his skin was raised in thin lines tracing almost tribal like markings naturally forming around his body. His eyes were the symbolic red retina, yellow cornea. His teeth were flat like a human but his tongue was thin and pointed like a reptile. He had human hands but his finger nails were thick and grew in a natural sharpened point making his hands look like claws. There was dominant human in him. All other attributes seemed to be anyway, except the fact that he didn’t grow hair, and his ears came to a slight point at the end.  
Welcome back master. The council has requested your presence. Without a word Hekk headed straight for the throne room. Upon arriving he entered the center of the circle. He fell to one knee and planted his fists on the ground. “What is thy bidding. My masters.” “We have a question about how you chose to execute your mission.” One of the council leaders spoke. “Why did you kill the Yazminian refugee’s? We gave you no such order.”

“You gave no order not to either.” Hekk replied. “If I let them live they would have just caught another ride.”

Lord two. “Yet you saw fit to hijack their ship and bring it back. You couldn’t hold them captive and delivered us a live prize?”

Hekk. “What interest does the Sith have in these creatures? Why are they so important?”

Lord four. “You are lucky Darth Kifo that you are in our favor. It is not your place to question our decisions.”

Lord six. “There is much you do not understand. This a conversation for more experienced ears. Padawan!”

Que snapped to attention then fell to one knee. “Yes master.”

Lord six: “Leave us.”

Lord one: “Come Darth Kifo. We have much to discuss.”

Que exited the room. He hated being left out of everything. He was a student, wasn’t he? He was supposed to learn, wasn’t he? Then why did it seem so little was revealed to him! He was the student of the only Darth deemed worthy to work directly with the council. And he was deemed worthy to study under him. So, wouldn't he inherit the right to do the same?  
He walked down the hall to one of the training rooms. Waving his hand around to different places he made the lights come on, and activated a training drone. A large floating pod that shot different types of energy fire at random. It zig zagged and shot around wildly shooting from all angles. Que deflected the blasts with expert precision. He was bored but what else was he going to do while he waited for his teacher.

Time passed and Hekk finally returned to get his student. The Sith had no use for Hekks commandeered craft. So, he decided to take it. You never know when a ship that size may come in handy. Hekk had a new focus about him. A new determination was in his eyes. They crossed through the atmosphere and made way to their new destination. 

“Master?” Que said approaching Hekk. “What is our assignment?” Hekk looked out the front window of the cockpit. “We are on our way to an unknown planet called Yazmina. There we must find a stone. A crystal that can focus a specific power.”

Que. “What kind of power?”

Hekk. “Living bio energy. Specific to the energy of the indigenous species. It will take about a month to reach our destination. You should find a way to make the time.”

Contrary to popular belief. Jedi and Sith do not spend every waking moment studying, training, or meditating. There is much free time in which to be yourself and engage in other activities. There were video games somewhere on this ship and he was going to find them! 

Hekk on the other hand was busying himself studying what little information had been collected about his new conquest. Not much really. Atmospheric conditions, weather types, animal species, what they breath, etc. Hekk had to find this stone. His conversation with the council had been very interesting. The long and short of it was he would be given the rank of Dark Lord upon returning one of these back to Koravann.

 

Jazone having finished plotting the escape route took the data chips out of the console and hid them under the mattress on his bed in the other room. He hastily made his way out the front doors of his home. Getting in a transport me made his way to do his patrol. He personally wanted to oversee as much of the military placements and repairs as possible. He was very hands on as a king. He liked working with the men as though he were no different from them. He had many admirers for that reason. It was his mission now to begin seeking them out. 

Why was this happening? Who were these invaders and what did they want? They have so far shown no interest in our goods, our crafts, our natural resources, and I seriously doubt the enjoy our music scene, or are after the secrets of our entertainment. The ones they didn’t kill they captured. Slaves? Being an uncharted unknown planet is this an untapped resource for forced labor and big business? According to his Jedi friends there was no report of them on any of the known slave trades. Jazone didn’t know the answers to his questions. One thing he was certain of. The ones that died were the lucky ones. Who knows what horrible fate awaits those in custody.

His first stop was an encampment at the far west side. The front line of defense. The commanding officer approached and saluted. “Your highness. We are honored by your presence. How may we serve you?” Jazone who was abnormally tall and muscular for a being of his race looked over the captain’s head. “I just want to see that you all are getting along alright.”

Captain. “Were fine sir. Repairs to the forward battery wall are complete, munitions are fully stocked, Assault vehicles are primed and ready, and we have one hundred Yazminians, and two hundred class A infantry droids, twelve automated tank droids, and six anti-air attack detour droids. Aside from that were in high spirits my lord. We are ready to defend our homes.” He said the last part with reverent pride.

Jazone put his hand on the man’s shoulder and squeezed. “Unfortunately, my friend, that time may be close at hand.” He looked around at the rest of the men. How would he gauge who would go and who wouldn’t? More importantly who would keep his secret if they said no. How could he trust that they would not betray him? Loyalty to the king was one thing. Loyalty to The Essences was something else entirely. His heart was saddened; he must take that risk though. If he does nothing he dies, if he gets caught he dies. It seemed to him, logically, that if the outcome is death regardless of the path you choose, choose the one that serves the best cause. 

He walked back to his transport. “Keep up the good work men. I am proud of all of you.” He raised his arm and pounded a fist in the air. “FOR YAZMINA!!!!!!!” He roared. The rest of the men throwing their fists in the air roared back in unison “FOR YAZMINA!!!! FOR KING JAZONE!!!!DEATH BEFORE DESERTION!!!!!!!!” 

 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

The sun. And…the other sun. And…Sand. And… …Nothing. That’s it. Tatooine is a dust ball. Slightly more active than Hoth. However just as desolate. Whether covered in ice or sand neither one was any place JayCee cared to be. He stood silently behind Tosh, who was sitting at a table in the back room of a dingy mud hut.

Tosh. “You said ten thousand! Don’t think that because I’m a woman you can strong arm me!”

Trader. “This crate is damaged! I’m not paying for sloppy workmanship.”

Tosh. “You got a problem with the product take it up with the manufacturer! I just deliver!”

Trader. “Now you listen to me lady! Your bodyguard standing behind you doesn’t scare me. He pulled a blaster out from his vest. “It doesn’t matter how strong you are against one of these.”

JayCee looked at the man for a moment. The trader seemed to be caught in a daze.

“There is no reason to yell.” JayCee said.

The trader repeated. “There is no reason to yell.”

JayCee. “The damage was not your fault.”

Trader. “The damage wasn’t your fault.”

JayCee. “Thank you for taking such care with your task.”

Trader. “Thank you for taking such care in your task.”

JayCee. “In fact, for doing such a good job take twenty thousand instead.”

Trader. “In fact, for doing such a good job take twenty thousand instead.”

With that the man pulled out four packs of republic credits. Two blue, two green, and handed them to Tosh. She accepted them and her and JayCee left. “So, would that be considered using the dark side?” She asked him.

JayCee “What? What I just did?”

Tosh. “You used a mind trick and made that man give us double our salary. I thought using the force for such things was against the rules.”

JayCee “Once again, that’s Jedi. Besides that, I was using the light side of the force.”

Tosh. “How so?”

JayCee leaned towards Tosh a little as they walked. “A Sith would have force choked him then cut him into five pieces with his light saber. I almost did with the attitude he was giving. The fact that he’s alive and unharmed means I used the light side of the force. And I don’t feel bad about swindling a man out of ten thousand credits who gets his money by selling stolen goods in the first place.”

Tosh nodded her head and said “Hmm.” Thinking about what was just said.  
JayCee stayed with Tosh for the next few days while his arm healed. Between the hyperbaric treatment and the use of force healing he should be good to go very soon.

They were in town having a drink at a bar. Sitting at a table in the back corner of a large room. There were a couple tables scattered here and there. There was a bar with a few bottles behind the counter and a sully looking Hutt. The slugoid was wiping down some dirty glasses with a dirty rag. He peered at the two at the table. The only two in the place. Tosh sipped her foul-tasting drink, and made a face. “This better get me drunk fast. I don’t know how much longer I can stand the taste of this.”

JayCee smiled a bit. Tosh spoke up again. “So, what now? Your homeless, your arm is better. I currently don’t have any jobs lined up. What do you want to do?”

JayCee was looking around. “First thing. I need to find a ship.”

Tosh. “What do you need a ship for?”

JayCee “Well. I figure I should go after the people who sent those assassins after me. If I don’t take care of it now, they’ll just keep coming.”

Tosh. “Okay. Is there something wrong with my ship?”

JayCee. “Yeah. You’re in it. This is something I should take care of myself. Having you around would just mean problems for me.”

Tosh. “Cause I’m just so weak, right? Is it cause I’m a woman that you think I can’t take care of myself?”

“Here we go.” JayCee thought to himself. “Look. I’m going alone and that’s it. It was nice to see you again but this is where we part ways.”

JayCee continued looking around and walking. Tosh slowed a little, falling behind a bit. JayCee could feel that she was hurt. He knew she wanted to go with him. A part of him wanted her to go too. But the facts were the facts. He led a dangerous life, he didn’t want her getting hurt or worse. 

He spent most of the day searching the town of Mos Eisley for a craft at a shop. Being either Gundarians who were naturally immune to mind tricks (Even his), or droids who again not even he could influence and what was worse, his money was no good. Of all the money, he had no one would take it this far outside the inner rim. It was looking like he was going to have to find an alternative method. He would simply steal one, but given where he was, people kept security tight. Hangars locked and guarded, security detail was all over the place. Sure, he could get into a hangar or find another way to get what he needed. However just because he could use the force on a small group. But then what of the others? Or after he leaves and security is released from the mind grip? They would obviously report to the Hutt’s. Not a group you want to mess with. They had as much access to bounty hunters, gangsters, assassins, and a great host of many other tools at their disposal to find him as the federation, the Jedi or any other powerful organization. He was strong with the force, and a very powerful warrior, but even the strongest adversary can be overcome. It was not a risk he felt was worth taking. After much deliberation, he decided to just go with Tosh. He would find a transport somewhere else.

Back aboard the Starkiller JayCee was preparing some food. Tosh was back in her workshop adjusting A.L.E.E.N.A… A.O.N. was talking with JayCee in the kitchen area. The robot wouldn’t shut up. Rapping off facts about hyperspace calculations, binary languages of component software, and facts about planets, and species throughout the galaxy.

“I’m sorry. Is there some point to everything you’re telling me?” JayCee said looking behind his shoulder with an irritated tone in his voice.

A.O.N. “You’re not engaging in conversation with me. I figure you may not know what I’m talking about. So, I’m just rattling off information in my database until I hit a subject you can identify with. Then maybe you’ll talk to me.”

JayCee at that point had made a new item on his mental checklist. “Find the person that created the program responsible for emotional emulation and kill him. Or her. If that person is dead, find their family and kill them.” “Okay.” He said. “You want to talk. Let’s talk about how no amount of programming or styling a droid to resemble a living being will ever make them so.”

There was a silence. A.O.N. was still for a moment. “You know. If you don’t want to talk. All you have to do is say so.”

With that A.O.N. turned its cylinder torso around facing the other direction. JayCee could hear the clack, clack, clack, of the droids spiked legs on the floor as it walked away. He turned back to the food starting to burn on the stove top.

Back in the workshop sparks were flying. Streams of smoke were coming up in small plumes as Tosh soldered some wires to a circuit board. A few snaps and sparks and A.A.L.E.E.N.A.’s right arm raised up a few inches. “Fodder! That wasn’t supposed to happen!” She said making a few more adjustments. The droids arm lowered. Placing the interior cover over the main access in the torso, then placing the outer battle armor over that. She looked over and typed some things into a computer. She adjusted some electrodes around the head and flipped a switch. The white eyes lit up. Tosh checked the monitors around the table. All signs looked good. She sat back and the droid sat up. It looked around. 

“Sound check.” Tosh said. “A.A.L.E.E.N.A... Can you hear me?” A.A.L.E.E.N.A. responded in a female voice. “Yes. I hear you.”

Tosh. “Run program RD14.”

A.A.L.E.E.N.A. Looked forward for a moment. “What is my core function? logic? Security? Engineering? Or Translation?”

Tosh typed on her keyboard. Looking at the monitor just above it. “Modify program. Class A RD14. Upload sequence seven thirteen. Personal security. Subject of protection.” She looked at the droid straight in the face. “Me. Tosh. Captain of the Starkiller. Your primary function is to secure my safety and survival. You are my bodyguard.”

A.A.L.E.E.N.A... “My primary function is to secure your safety and survival. I am your bodyguard. What is my secondary function?”

“Strategic logic, and battle tactics.” Tosh responded typing some more on the keyboard. She swiveled her chair around, pushed her feet hard on the floor, and rolled her chair across the room to a table. She opened a drawer in a desk and shuffled through it grabbing a couple data chips. She rolled back over to the monitor and inserted all four chips into slots in a panel on the desk. She typed a few more things on the keyboard, then removed the back-head plating. She inserted a small chip in the droid’s neural cortex then replaced the cover. She typed on the keyboard again and A.A.L.E.E.N.A. shut down. A few more key strokes and the droid came back online. 

“Hello.” The droid said. “I’m A.A.L.E.E.N.A... And you are Tosh. The one I protect. I will follow only your commands.”

Tosh greeted her new friend kindly. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Will you do me a favor and lay back down on the table?” A.A.L.E.E.N.A. complied. “There is still more downloading you must have before you are ready. Just lay here and let the program run its course.” As she was saying this she placed electrodes around its head, and plugged it in to a port connection cable, tying the robot to the main computer, like an umbilical cord it would feed it all the knowledge, fighting skills, and personality it would need to function at peak performance. Shutting the droid off she stretched her arms over her head and leaned back in her chair. With a big yawn, she looked at the clock. “Time for bed.” she thought to herself.

Approaching a Dathomirian moon settlement they prepared to land. JayCee had meant to separate from Tosh but for some reason it didn’t happen. “Land out in the boonies. I’ll take a hover bike to cover the distance. I want you to stay here.” Tosh looked at him. “I’m serious. Stay here. This is my business, let me handle it.” Tosh didn’t say anything. She just nodded her head in agreement. 

As Tosh landed the ship JayCee left the cockpit, went down the stairs and began to prime one of the hover bikes. 

He had disrupted the trade of Dathomirian slaves about six months ago, the planets main export was labor. Home to some of the most skilled and talented workers of anything and everything you could imagine. It was their blessing, and their curse. They were constantly under attack from slave runners. Sometimes entire villages were kidnapped and sold on the under market. JayCee intercepted a cargo liner with slaves in the Hydian way by accident. He killed the kidnappers and returned the slaves back to Dathomir. He then sought out other ships and for a few weeks entertained himself by freeing slaves, and being a thorn in the side of a major crime syndicate.

At least that’s the most recent thing he could think of that would leave people wanting him dead. It was nothing personal. They tried to kill him and he was bringing the fight to their door. He just hoped Tosh didn’t try to follow him into the action. He felt her hunger for excitement. She wanted a piece of the action. He found out long ago that she was somehow immune to his mind control. Whether she was that strong minded, or something inherited from her mother. Like a Gundarian, naturally immune. 

He approached the outer building of the smugglers hideout. A cave that had been turned into a command center. Then abandoned and taken over by the Raffarians. Translated meaning owners. Getting off his bike about half a Meter from the hideout, he used burst of speed to cover the remaining distance. He would need the dark side for this. He let his anger and disapproval of who these people were and what they did rise within him. His eyes began to shade with yellow and red. As he approached the front gate five guards stepped out of a building at the side.

“Who are…” The guard was cut short by JayCee’s light saber through his chest. Pulling his sword through the insectoids torso to free his blade brought it spinning up to the right cutting off another guard’s arm. Bending forward and spinning to the left with his back to the guard came around full circle slashing, taking his head. He stepped forward bringing his sword straight down cutting off the hands of the third guard who was still reaching for his gun. Then brought his blade straight up, then back cutting diagonally through his chest. He held out his hand using the force to call the other two guard’s guns from their holsters. He flung his arm backward behind his head and the blasters went flying through the air. He lowered his hand and picked up the fourth guard by the neck with the force. Held him there for a moment then dropped him on the ground. 

He’ll admit there is a struggle sometimes to contain the dark side’s influence. But these guards had nothing to do with the contract being sent out for him. Now only two they were no longer a threat. Killing them would serve no purpose. He wanted to. It made him feel powerful. But at the same time knowing that at that moment he had the power to decide their fate, they lived because he allowed it. That was exercising the same power as if he had killed them, he got the same feeling of fulfillment. 

He looked at them. Then turned and walked towards the main building. Using the force to tear the doors off its hinges they crumbled forward into the building. JayCee entered the building light saber drawn. He flashed his sword, swung up, then down, deflecting laser fire from all directions. Spinning to the left bringing his sword upside down behind his back he deflected another bolt. Taking cover behind a table he put his light saber away. He reached his hands into the air. They began to shake as the ceiling cracked above the men. He brought it crashing down on top of them, crushing four.  
A detonator landed on the floor next to him. JayCee cracked a little smile and lightly shook his head. “Stupid.” He thought to himself. He reached over picked it up and simply threw it back. It exploded with a huge ball of electricity and a sonic blast that sent beings flying back against the walls. JayCee stood up from behind the table turning to face them and pulling out his sword. In an under-hand grip swung it in a sideways figure eight pattern deflecting more fire. Using burst of speed, he zipped across the room, cutting down one more on his way. He reached out his hand pushed his palm out sharply. A droid coming through a door burst into sparks and collapsed.  
He made his way through the door. Following a short hallway that turned to the left leading to a control room. An HK Assassin droid came walking around the corner. Gun aimed, it fired. Being in such small quarters it was easy to deflect the fire. Three bolts were reflected into the droid’s chest. JayCee motioned his left hand to the right causing the robot to face the wall. His orange blade sliced through its legs, was brought back in a reverse swing through its torso, then brought back around in the opposite direction through its head.  
JayCee had made his way to the main control hub. Waiting inside were the leaders of the outfit. Several Tac-Spec Footmen were waiting to intercept. Relatively easy. He wouldn’t have a problem with them. Small frame, basic intelligence, no fighting skills, they were little more than walking posts with guns. JayCee threw his hand out knocking back several droids. He deflected a barrage of blaster fire. He didn’t even have to try and the bolts were sent back right into the droids as if attracted to them. He turned and held out his hand. He concentrated then closed his fist tightly. One of the droids exploded, taking another two with it. Having destroyed all the droids, he turned his attention to the leaders. “You shouldn’t have sent people to kill me. In effect, you signed your own death warrant.” He calmly said.

Leader one. “What were we supposed to do? You caused us a lot of trouble. You didn’t think we would come after you? Besides you started this. You attacked us first. Now you’re pissed because we reacted? Fuck you!”

JayCee threw his hand out slamming the guy into the large control panel behind him. The humanoid one of them reached for his gun. Only to be lifted off the ground by some unseen power. He flew so fast his arms and legs were flung behind him. He came to rest at the hilt of JayCee’s weapon. An inch away from his face he heard the gurgling sound of the man dying. He looked up at the other leader. A slugoid, he was trying to make his way to the emergency exit. JayCee simply held out his hand and choked him from across the room. He walked over to the first leader. Taking his time. He was in no hurry. 

The last remaining leader was trying to pick himself up off the ground. JayCee kicked his hand out from under him making him fall back down. JayCee stepped on his back and leaned down just above his ear. “You know how when people come before you begging for their lives and you say something like ‘It’s nothing personal. You play the game, these things happen. It’s just part of it.’…Well this is something like that." JayCee took his saber in his hand and plunged it through the being. 

Having completed his business, he turned to walk away. A sense flashed through his head. He cocked to the side and stopped. He began to walk forward again. Almost like a blinding pain struck through his skull like lightning. Temporarily obscuring his vision, his knees almost gave out. He stood and gathered himself, he got it, there was something here. He turned and approached the main control console. A large table like surface waist high. The entire wall was the main screen. JayCee approached it and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing and held his hands out over the console. Breathing slowly in through the nose, and out the mouth. He cleared his mind of everything except the thought. “Guide me to your will. What is it you want me to find?”

His left hand fell pushing a button. A screen came up, a video feed of a holding tank somewhere on the premises. There were about thirty or so weird beings JayCee had never seen before. “That’s not Dathomirian.” He said to himself. They were tall, slender, and had light purple skin. This was it, it was the will of the force that he help these people get back home. He found were they were on a map and headed that way. Walking down a long hallway with many doors he finally came to a staircase. He stopped for a second, then pulled out his com link. Tosh’s image came up on the wrist size holopad. “What’s up?” She asked. JayCee responded. “I need you to bring the ship to the buildings entrance.”

Tosh. “Is it safe.”

JayCee. “No. I want you to bring the ship in before its safe so you can get shot. Of course, it’s safe.”

Tosh. “What do you need me up there for?”

JayCee. “There’s a group of people being held here. I don’t know what they are. I’ve never seen their kind before. But they need our help.”

Tosh. “Whoa. Hold on. How do we know they aren’t some kind of biological experiment? They could try to eat us, or something.”

JayCee. “I don’t think so. Just bring the ship.”

JayCee continued down the stairs until he got to a large glass wall. It was dark, JayCee held his hand in front of him. He didn’t know where the light controls were, but he didn’t have to. He knew they were close. He concentrated on picturing a light control console activating itself. Within moments the lights came on. He walked over to the panel and manually activated the door. 

The creatures inside were skittish, and scared. JayCee spoke to them. “It’s alright my friends. I am Sidi master JayCee. I am here to help you. One of the men cautiously approached him. He spoke in a language he couldn’t understand. He slowly lifted his hand to the being’s forehead. Closing his eye’s JayCee saw a brilliant purple sky, many of these beings called Yazminians, being kidnapped in the night, a village on fire, people screaming and dyeing. JayCee opened his eyes and led them out to meet Tosh.

Once aboard the ship Tosh regarded her new cargo. “So, who are they? Where are they from?” She asked standing next to JayCee.

JayCee. “I’m not sure.”

Tosh had called A.O.N. to help translate, but in all the data the droid had on languages it was unable to determine a basis of communication. The best they had was JayCee’s mind link. JayCee and Tosh escorted two of the Yazminians to the bridge. They were trying to find out where they were from. 

Tosh. “According to these coordinates they are from out past the unknown regions.”

JayCee. “Past the unknown regions? Is that possible?” He thought for a moment. “Yeah. I suppose it is. Space and time are infinite. Just because we are not aware of something does not mean it does not exist.”

Tosh. “Great. So now I get to take my ship into the most un traveled, unexplored, dangerous section of the galaxy in all of existence. This is just great.”

Tosh began to sulk a little. Her pinkish skin turning a little redder in her slight anger. They entered the coordinates into the computer, and were under way to what they would soon find was the planet Yazmina.

 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

 

King Jazone stood at the landing pad awaiting the arrival of his Jedi friend Aan Thoni. It had been months since the Jedi left. Tensions were growing high at home. A freedom group had broken out in the underground. A rebel group was trying to rally support to accept outside help to battle their new enemy. The Essences sent troops after them but were so far unable to locate them. It was kind of lucky that it happened. Now Jazone could openly look for them to join him without seeming suspicious. There was one he could contact, but at this point was far too dangerous. The Essences were watching very closely over his shoulder. War ships had begun to enter the space around the planet. The planets entire military force was on standby at full alert. Battle garrisons, droid infantry’s, tens of thousands of air and space fighter pods, battle ships, and short range planetary defenses were ready at a moment’s notice.

Aan Thoni and his new apprentice came through the planet’s atmosphere. Aul was in awe at the sight. He had never been off Coruscant, the mechanical nature of the planet with its automated weather control, and slightly orange sky was nothing like this. Fields of grass, tree’s and forests, mountains, rivers, were all just fantastic pictures on a holo monitor until now. Off in the far distance he could see a huge lake. Shimmering reflecting the sun light off its surface was the most brilliant thing he had ever seen. The craft landed and they stepped off. Aul following just behind his master. They approached Jazone and bowed.  
“Aan my friend. Welcome back.” Jazone said with much enthusiasm. They grabbed hands and shook. He looked at the boy at his side. “Who is this? A little young to be bringing to such a place at such a time.” Aan regarded his friend. “Don’t worry about him. He’s under my guidance. How are things here?”

Jazone. “The Essences are refusing any help. There is a freedom group that has assembled against them, war ships are occupying nearby space, and the entire planet is basically waiting for it to begin.”

Aan. “Have you decided what you are going to do?” 

Jazone looked to his sides and leaned in closer to Aan. “The Essences will never be convinced. They have pretty much the entire population save for a few under their control. I have concluded that I must gather as many loyal to the royal house as I can and go underground. Generations from now when the aftermath has dulled, we will resurface. This is no longer a fight to save the world, but a fight to escape extinction.”

Aan. “I understand. We will do whatever we can to aid you.”

They turned and headed toward the castle. 

 

Hekk Taur and his pupil were coming close to their destination. The planet Yazmina. In search of a mystical stone that the council needed for a sinister plan. Hekk had been promised the title of Dark lord upon completion of this task. This would not be easy. Artifacts of this nature were few and far between. 

Living sentient beings are not the only creations in the universe that are directly affected by the force, or have the power to affect the force for that matter. There are rare animals that can influence the force, even stones. Such as force crystals used for light sabers for instance. The stone imparticular Hekk was after had the ability to concentrate the force and alter its regular frequency. Giving the user greatly increased power, and the ability to twist the force in an unnatural way. These crystals have not been used or found for many generations. Most sources of such artifacts having been destroyed by the republic with the help of the Jedi. Now it would seem this planet is home to such a stone.

Hekk headed for the nearest settlement with his student in tow. “The first thing we’re going to do is check local shops, and quarries.” He was telling Que. “We have no idea where these stones are, and we know nothing about the planet that we can use to figure a starting point. For all we know these…Creatures.” He said with disgust in his voice. “Have been using the stones for other purposes unaware of their dark potential. Even if we don’t find the stones, we will find someone to guide us to them.”

Que nodded his head “I understand master.” 

Sending out two Sith probe droids in opposite directions. They got on their hover bikes and headed off for the city in the distance. 

 

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The alarm went off next to JayCee’s head. He swung his arm up and hit the snooze button. He wasn’t ready to get up. He was having a good dream…The alarm went off again. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He sat up and turned off the alarm, he stood and stretched. JayCee grabbed his drying cloth and other supplies he had picked up in the dusty town of Mos Eisley. He put on his pants and headed shirtless to the bathing area alongside the toilet area. Kind of like a small locker room there were three private showers, three sinks, a bench, and a counter. A large mirror was hanging on the wall. He had a small toilet room in his bunk but no shower.

As he made is way down the side of the Hanger bay he could see their new friends across the way. Some were asleep. Some were just waking up. He came to the entrance to the locker room, and entered. As he did he could hear water turning off. Steam was in the air, he set his shaving kit on the counter under the mirror. He walked over and hung his drying cloth on one of the hooks that were in a row on the wall opposite the showers. Facing the showers as one of them opened Tosh was wrapping a cloth around her slender body. She seemed to take her time doing so, stepping out of the shower facing JayCee, it was almost as though she wanted him to see a little something. Just some skin, she wanted to leave some to the imagination, but show enough to get his attention.

It worked. JayCee stared for a moment, then caught her gaze. He turned his head to the side like he was acting like he wasn’t looking. She smiled a little, and slightly brushed against him as she passed on her way to the sink area. She smelled wonderful, her scent filled his nostrils as he breathed in deep. Her skin was softer than anything he had ever felt. The way her skin sparkled was hypnotic. She was truly beautiful, perhaps JayCee might one day decide to be with her. But it couldn’t be right now, for some reason he knew it wasn’t time yet.

The hot water felt good. He put his head under the stream and let the water run down his body. He closed his eyes and relaxed.  
He finished his shower, shaved and went back to his room to put on the rest of his clothing. He liked it when he was freshly showered and his clothes were cleaned. There was a knock at his door, he sensed it was Tosh. “Come in.” He said. She entered the room as he was putting on his shirt. “I don’t have enough food for everyone. I don’t want to be rude and eat in front of the others so here. This is the best I can do for now.” She handed a food ration pill to him, then smiled a little. “When you’re done getting ready, meet me up on the bridge, were getting close to our mystery destination.” Their eye’s lingered on each other as she left.

JayCee fastened his tunic then put on his robe. He checked his utility belt. Everything in its place, saber at his side, he left to meet with Tosh. Entering the large cockpit, he found Tosh sitting at the forward chair. The front of the cockpit was just above the nose of the ship. It pointed to a V shape in the front. All the way back to the wall with the door was lined with windows, waist high to the ceiling. A row of windows ran through the middle of the roof giving a view above. Just in front of the tip was the main navigation chair. Behind that were two chairs to either side. The walls going back were lined with consoles. Tracking systems, shields and defense station, arms and attack station, and so on. Each station could be operated individually, or all systems could be routed to any of the three chairs up front. 

JayCee approached Tosh peering through the front window. In the distance, he could see the image of a purple dot. “So is it just me or is that a planet.” Tosh said. JayCee replied “Force be damned. That’s a fucking planet.” They looked at each other. He walked out off the bridge and down the stairs. He approached one of the Yazminians. “I…Need…The leader…” He said making pointless gestures. He motioned to the stairs then motioned to them. They weren’t getting the point. He reached out and grabbed one of their hands. Connecting with his mind, he let go of his hand and held another’s. He did this two more times before he found one he could somewhat communicate with. He led him up to the front of the bridge and pointed out the window. The Yazminian shook his head, he pointed and spoke. JayCee held his hand out communicating he understood.

They approached the planet and readouts started coming up on a screen on the left front window. “Oxygen based atmosphere, massive life readings, looks like, forest, desert, oceans, not very big ones but oceans none the less. Looks like some mountains, etc. We’ll survive on it.” Tosh said tapping some holographic buttons on a readout from her chair. “I’ve found an entrance vector; can you find out where exactly were going?” She looked at one of her monitors. “I thought this was an undiscovered territory. Why are my radars picking up Corellian cargo liners, Nemiodian war ships, and Kashminian invasion force carriers? Something’s not right here.”

JayCee turned and put his hand to the man’s head. All he caught were images of smoke and fire. There was landscape and I’m sure markers of where they were, but they meant nothing to JayCee since he didn’t know the surroundings. “Nothing we can use. Can you pick up on any settlements or cities? I guess find the biggest one and land there.” 

Tosh typed on the keyboard on the left side of her chair. An image of the landscape came up on the right front window. Little red dots appeared in scattered locations indicating civilizations. The larger the dot the larger the settlement. JayCee looked at the read out and studied it closely. He closed his eyes and held out his finger, letting the force guide him. After a moment, his hand shot forward pointing to a dot around the center of one of the land masses. “There.” He said. “Why there?” Tosh asked. JayCee replied “Good as any other place.” Tosh kind of nodded her head and set the coordinates.

Entering through the atmosphere, they were taken aback by the beautiful splendor before them. The sky shimmered with stars against the purple sky even in the day time. Huge moons set a backdrop to the skyline. They landed the ship on the outside of the medium sized settlement. The doors opened and everybody began to exit. Everybody off the ship Tosh and A.O.N. at JayCee’s side, headed for the town. 

Local people gathered in a large crowd around them. Yelling and chattering amongst themselves. A few of their new friends put their hands on JayCee and Tosh. Obviously presenting them and telling the story of their rescue. The local villagers greeted them graciously, and welcomed them into the town. They were guided to a small shop on the street side. They motioned for A.O.N. to enter. The droid did, and the shop owner presented Tosh with a small chip. He motioned to the droid. Tosh inserted the chip in one of the slots in the robot’s main interface panel. After a second the droid spoke. “I speak Yazminian. That was a local translator chip they just gave us.”

Tosh looked up and said. “Tell them thank you. Then tell them who we are, that we are friends, and ask what's going on.” The robot chirped off a pattern of sounds and noises that was very elegant. It seemed to be a very fluid language. They spoke back to A.O.N, who then turned to the two. They are a secret race who have kept themselves separated from the rest of us. Now they are being abducted in large groups and taken away." “Did they happen to say who was taking them?” Tosh asked. “No. They don’t know who or why. They did say that we are in danger here. These people don't take kindly to strangers.”

Suddenly two transports stopped and a group of the aliens jumped out and surrounded them. They were yelling and pointing guns. JayCee and Tosh put their hands in the air. Some of the group that was rescued were yelling back at the authorities. JayCee leaned to A.O.N. and asked “Can you tell what’s going on?” A.O.N. turned the top dome of its cylinder frame back and forth a few times. “The authorities want to arrest us. Our friends are explaining that we helped them, now they are under arrest for being part of the underground resistance, and we are too.”

With that the armed guards placed everyone in restraints. They came toward Tosh and JayCee. “What do we do?” Tosh asked getting anxious and nervous. JayCee feeling her fear calmly spoke. “We let them arrest us. Try to take in deep slow breaths. Nothing exciting is going to happen right now.” He looked at her. “I know your scared. I’ll protect you. Just do as I say and follow my lead.” Tosh looked at him only slightly comforted. “Were on an unknown, uncharted planet, no one knows were here, and were being arrested for returning kidnapped members of their race, and you say relax, nothing exiting is happening!? What kind of life do you lead! Force almighty!” 

The guards placed them in restraints and put them in the transport. They shot A.O.N. with pulse emitter causing it to shut down. They placed a portable shock inducer on the outer cover of the droid to prevent it from rebooting, then placed it on a separate transport. They were taken deep within the city. To the main holding center. They were unloaded and processed. They had their image captured, full nude body scans, and cleansing. JayCee and Tosh could hear them talking back and forth. Excited like children who were poking at a small creature they had just discovered. What JayCee could only guess were technicians kept poking and prodding at them. Lifting their arms, and trying to touch their genitals. When processing was over they were given clothes, and put in individual cells.

The cell chamber was very large. JayCee chuckled a little to himself. He noticed that even on this planet. An unknown, hidden place that has had no contact with the outside civilizations…Even here, the prison looked the same. Every single prison on every single planet, in every single system, looked the damn same. Nothing more than a very large rectangle. Two stories high, open on the inside, with cells lining all the walls. The center being a daytime rec area. JayCee wondered if it was something inherent in the similarities of the spark of divine life within all living beings that inspired the same inspiration for certain things throughout existence. This was certainly evidence of such.

JayCee and Tosh’s cells were only a few apart from each other. “So how long are we supposed to stay here.” Tosh demanded to know. “JayCee leaned to the front bars of his cell. “I know you hate this but we have to be patient. Now would be a good time to try to get some sleep. We’re going to need our rest. We’ll talk later.” Tosh paced back and forth in her cell fuming, steaming pissed right now. This was NOT how this was supposed to go, she laid down. Maybe she should listen to JayCee. He knew what he was doing, and he was right. Now in this place, there was no one or nothing that would disturb her at the moment. She should try to rest.

Hours passed, Tosh slept surprisingly well. The row of cell doors opened, JayCee approached the entrance to the rec area and looked around. He walked over to a table and sat down. Within moments he had an audience. A tall, slender Yazminian with a rough look to her sat at the other end of the table facing JayCee. The Yazminian stared at him. JayCee made eye contact and stared right back. JayCee didn’t know what was about to happen but he was ready.

“You speak common.” The woman said. JayCee nodded. “I do.” She leaned forward and intensified her gaze. “Who are you? We do not see many outsiders. Why have you come here?” With that another man stepped forward and spoke in the native language. By his emotions JayCee could feel that he was helping him. He figured out that this was one of the refugees he had rescued and the man was telling everyone the story. Men looked at each other and nodded. They made comments to themselves. The woman sitting across from him eased her gaze.

“You are a good man. You acted to help our people, even though you didn’t know us. Have you come to help us as well?” She said.

JayCee. “It depends on what the problem is.”

The woman scooted her chair closer to the table. “My name is Lare Eiza.” She said. She then proceeded to tell the story of the kidnappings, all about The Essences, and how she was a resistance leader who was arrested for trying to convince people to ask for the help of the Jedi. She had been labeled a heretic and was sentenced to be tortured to death in the town square in three days. A vast majority of the current prisoners were members of her freedom group.

Tosh awoke and wandered out of her cell. Hearing JayCee’s voice she followed it through a crowd of Yazminians and made her way to the table. JayCee looked up and regarded her kindly. “Good morning sleepy. I hope you slept well.” Tosh still groggy rubbed her eyes and responded. “Actually…To my surprise. Yeah. I did. I feel much better now.” “Good.” Said JayCee. “Cause were not staying long.” Tosh’s face brightened. JayCee stood and introduced her to Lare Eiza. They greeted each other.

“Lare says they do shift change at set intervals. The next one is in four hours. When that happens the guard, stations are momentarily unmanned. There are still camera’s and other security devices. For some reason though all the droids have been called to military action. But that will be my best window.” JayCee explained to her.

Tosh. “How are we going to get out?”

JayCee. “I will get out of here. Secure the building, open all the cells and unlock the doors.”

Tosh looked up. It sounded unbelievable, but given who was saying it, she knew he wasn’t lying. They spent the rest of the rec time talking to their new friends. Learning about this wonderful planet. Some of them knew common tongue but not many. It was from the outside, and therefore not allowed. You could be imprisoned for trying to learn it.

They were preparing to reenter their cells and get ready for shift change. JayCee was paying close attention to every guard, every camera, everything going on. There was a loud rumbling sound. The ground shook, the sound of alarms went off in the far distance. All the guard’s com links went off... Another loud crash. The ground shook again. The sound of bombs was unmistakable. JayCee knew these sounds. The beginning of battle! They had stumbled into a war! Now the attack was underway. Plans had just changed. He ran to Tosh as everybody scrambled around. The guard ran for the doors, locking them as they left.

Hordes of prisoners rushed the doors slamming against the wall like a tidal wave of anger. They were yelling and screaming trying to somehow pry the doors to freedom open. JayCee held Tosh close to him and looked at her. “Let’s get in a cell. That’s where we’ll be safest. Don’t worry, I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

Bright spots of light shone through the dark blue clouds of the early morning sky. The clouds violently wafted to the sides as large blue plasma bolts tore through them. It hailed blue fire hitting the ground causing massive explosions. The sounds of men screaming filled the air, along with the bodies of flung soldiers and body parts. The landscape looked like a psychedelic light show. Multi colored lights tracing up and down lit the fields and surrounding forests. Huge transport ships fell through the fog of the twilight sky. Search lights scanned the area as they landed. Masses of droids and troops came piling out of the large ships firing at will. The Yazminians charged the open field crashing against the advancing enemy. Fifty-foot-tall manned attack droids shook the ground with every step. They appeared through the billows of smoke sending a rush of terror up the spines of the Yazminian army. How could they possibly win against this!

The droids crushed the smaller class Yaz tanks as if they were toys. Spraying a stream of laser fire clearing a path in front of them. They made their way to the city. Rockets flew tearing buildings to pieces. Large stones, huge metal supports crashed down on the public trying to escape the unfolding massacre. The entire land was washed in enemy forces. Corellian fighters screamed through the air firing air to ground missiles. Other fighters covered the ground in a fiery napalm. Thousands were melted in seconds by the green sticky goo. 

Scores of enemy troops blasted anything that moved. Young, old, women, children, even animals. They were not killed, but stunned. Rendered unconscious they were being piled up in designated areas throughout the city. The carnage was terrible. 

 

JayCee was holding Tosh in one of the cells. He closed his eyes for a moment and shortly after, Lare Eiza found her way to them. JayCee turned to the wall and held out his hands. He closed his eyes and flexed his fingers in a wide claw like grip in front of him. There was a rumbling sound, the paint chipped off the wall as cracks began to run through it. The wall began to shake, then fell apart creating a hole to the outer rec field. JayCee told Lare to get the men out through here. He took Tosh’s hand and exited the cell. “Where are, we going?” She yelled.  
Without looking back, he returned “I need my saber!” He held her right behind him with one hand, with the other held out in front of him. His eye’s straining from the focus. He used the force like a bulldozer, forcing people to the side creating a path. He was knocked to the side by some of the rabble. He lost Tosh’s hand and she was sucked into the brawl. JayCee put his hands in a downward V against his pelvis centering his energy. He opened his eyes and let out a yell. He raised his right hand then knelt and slammed his fist into the ground. The concrete floor shook and cracked and a wall of energy expanded outward from him. 

Dozens of prisoners were sent off their feet. He located Tosh and made his way to her. As he was about to grab her hand he was attacked from the side. After being hit in the face JayCee turned and ducked avoiding another fist. He threw his hand out and force pushed the prisoner back into several others knocking them down. He was attacked again being grabbed around his torso from behind. His arms pinned to his sides. JayCee lifted his feet as high as he could, then arching his back to get an angle kicked his feet down as hard as he could shattering the kneecaps of his attacker. Placing his feet back on the ground he grabbed the person’s arm and flipped him over his back. 

He grabbed Tosh and they rushed through the rest of the crowd into a hallway. JayCee was closing his eye’s feeling out his weapon. Being tied to it by both spirit and power he could sense it almost anywhere. He followed the sensations through a long corridor, off to the right through a passage way and into a store room.

Locking the door behind them JayCee and Tosh found their affects and changed clothes. Tosh had found a connecting door that led to the armory. Once inside they barricaded themselves in for the moment. Tosh was in heaven. There were capture nets, stun rifles, Side blasters, repeat blaster shoulder cannons, rapid fire blasters, battle armor, detonators, explosives, anything and everything you could need. Tosh rushed over to the armor. “None of it will fit me! It’s designed for a different body type!” JayCee walked over to the display. He took down a few pieces. “Try these on.” He adjusted them a little. “If we fasten these on tight they should work.” 

Grabbing the pieces and fitting them on. “We need to hurry. The others are waiting.” JayCee grabbed some other pieces of armor holding them up comparing them to Tosh’s frame. “We will get there soon enough. We need to take care of us first.” Tosh looked at him in amazement. “How can you be so calm?”

JayCee. “I suppose I’m not. Deep in my core I’m just as rushed and anxious as you. But you have to control it. You know when you’re in a hurry and frantic and you try to do something. Let’s say try to fit a key in a lock. Your hurried, your flustered…Your hand shakes, you miss the lock slot a few times, you press too hard and drop the keys, then fumble to pick them up and it takes thirty seconds to find the right key just to start over again. Whereas if you take a breath, focus on what you must do and calmly insert the key into the lock. By slowing down and taking care in your movements you actually end up moving much faster.”

JayCee finished fastening a small chest piece to her. “See. Since I’ve distracted you with talking, taking your frantic focus away look how much we’ve accomplished.” She looked down at herself. She had both arms, both shins and her torso armored. She hadn’t even noticed. He was right. By calming yourself and distracting your rushed thoughts you make less mistakes.  
Having finished putting on her thigh plates and gloves, she decked herself out with weapons. Blasters on each side, she had two rapid fire compact blasters in her hands, bands of detonator packs were strapped diagonally across her chest. She had two electrical batons crossed behind her back. She used a clip harness to tie her hair back into a ponytail.  
After they were ready they filled two large duffle bags with as many guns as they could carry. They each strapped one to their backs  
They unblocked the door, and headed back toward the main hall. Using the same technique as before JayCee held his hand to the sides in front of him forcing people to make a path. They reached the cell and entered to the rec yard. It was like being in a nightclub. So many colors flashing everywhere, lit up the sky and ground in brilliant orange, then red, green, then yellow, then purple, blue, all flashing at different times creating a strobe light effect. Tanks were rolling past firing at buildings and other vehicles. Holes had been blown through the exterior walls, other parts were crumbled completely. 

JayCee ignited his light saber just in time to deflect a couple blaster bolts that would have hit Tosh.

 

Hekk stood over a dead body, looking at a stone. Que was looking out the window at the light show in the distance. “What’s happening master?” He said crossing his arms. “Anything we should be worried about?” Hekk not wavering from examining the stone spoke. “We need not be concerned with what’s happening out there. The crystals are our only concern. We destroy anything that gets in our way.” Hekk threw the stone behind his shoulder. “Come.” He said walking to the entrance of the shop. “It’s time to go.” As he left Que followed close behind him. 

There was not much going on where they were. In an outskirt town, most of the action was happening closer to the bigger cities. They were on their way to a mine quarry they had found on a map in the shop. However, to get there they had to pass right through the thick of the battle happening at the base of the mountain. Que was so excited he could hardly contain himself. After all this time, he was finally getting some real action! Everywhere around them were craters from plasma bolts landing, burning carcasses and flaming mechanical wrecks. 

Yazminian fighter pods had engaged the Corellian fighters in the sky. Debris from damaged ships fell to the ground. Flaming, and smoking, out of control fighters rained from the sky. Plasma bolts tore through the atmosphere fired from the orbiting ships, decimating whole city blocks. Taking out entire regimens of native soldiers.

Que, and Hekk were approaching the battle. Que leaned forward on his bike, the yellow and red in his eye’s intensified in anticipation. They reached the edge of the battle. Que tore through them trying to get deeper into the fray. He jumped off the foot pegs twisting in the air. A column of red light appeared just before he landed. Que hit the ground sword in full swing. He raised his light saber up horizontally in front of his face blocking a strike. He stepped forward forcing his sword back. The weapon of his attacker went back and was forced through her skull. He stepped wide with his right foot swinging his torso around in a circle. As he did he guided his hand along the front of him knocking back soldiers and droids in a domino like pattern. 

He spun his light saber first in an X formation in front of him then spun it vertically on his right-side deflecting blaster fire. A percussion missile hit the ground about fifteen feet from him. The blast sent him flying. He was thrown back into a rabble of scurrying soldiers knocking them all down. He was dizzy, lightheaded, everything was blurry, sound was muffled. He looked around almost as if in slow motion. Lasers cut through people like a hot knife through butter. Explosions of dirt, smoke, and body parts plumed from the ground all around him. Men were screaming as they burned alive, He saw a tall purple figure. Half his body was burnt, he was still smoking and smoldering. His skin around half his head was burned away revealing bone and singed cartilage. It’s blue blood seeping from cracks in his blackened crisp skin. We walked around in a daze of shock as he searched the ground for his left arm. Others still had been sliced open by a melee attack, laying on the ground, guts spilling out of them they screamed in agony until finally dyeing. 

Que looked around in a bit of shock. He had never seen anything like this before. He had heard stories or seen recordings, but the experience was something entirely different. All the death and chaos, all the pointless violence and bloodshed…He loved it! The thrill of cutting people down, the adrenaline, the danger, but most of all he had discovered the vast reservoirs of hate and malice that were generated by such happenings. It was like swimming in the fountain of immortality. It charged him, healed him, gave him power and focus. He lit his saber and charged in for more!

 

Hekk had stayed more to the outer rim of the battle. He had had his share of battles. His young apprentice was like a small child. Having all this energy to burn off. Especially now, after being confined to the Sith temple Hekk was purposely denying his student what he wanted in order to build anticipation. His anger and resentment will grow the more he is held back, so will his hunger. Until you reach your boiling point, when finally unleashed you push yourself far beyond what you thought was possible. Showing you that not only are you capable of reaching this level of power but that you already have. Que was young and needed his exercise, Hekk would let him play with the others. He had much more important things on his mind. Like this mine somewhere on the east side of this mountain. 

 

Aan Thoni, his padawan Aul, and king Jazone had been in the throne room when the attack begun. They watched as the ships came through the morning fog. Water based ships were coming in from the sea. Arial troop deployment ships came from the sky. The three rushed down the hall to the war room. Generals were scrambling orders over com links, personnel were at different monitors and holo projectors yelling out enemy readings, coordinates, and locations.  
Aan led Aul to an area in the corner facing a row of windows. He bent over and looked his young friend in the eye’s. “I know you are not going to like this. You must stay here. You are only just beginning to understand how to use the force. This may be a little much. One of the things that makes a warrior great is understanding the psychology of battle. What does it look like? Watch from here and learn as much as you can. What do those droids do, how do those soldiers move? Notice how people take cover, or what certain explosions look like. I’m not trying to patronize you. This is important.”

Aul looked as though his feelings were hurt. Like he felt like he was being ditched. Jazone stepped forward and put his hand on Aul’s shoulder. “Listen to your teacher. He is very wise. I am the ruler of this entire planet and on my royal honor I will vouch that everything Master Aan just said is true…Do not be too hasty to rush into fighting. There will be plenty of time. Of that I promise you.”

Aul shook his head. “I know. I will.”

With that the two left. There was nowhere to go for safety until this was all over. There were no territories that were more important or vital than any others. This was not a calculated strike with a strategic goal. This was an all for all planet wide brawl. The best thing either one of them could do was kill as many soldiers and destroy as many droids as possible. Aan told Jazone to go do what he needed to do. He had noticed the collection groups, stunning people and loading them into cargo transports. He decided that is where he would start. 

Using burst of speed, he made his way to the distance where a cargo ship was being filled with unconscious Yazminians. Approaching from the side he leapt into the air landing on top of a huge manned cargo loader that was loading people into the cargo hold. He plunged his saber straight down through the cockpit. The glass of the suit like manned droid shattered as the driver was impaled. The loader fell backward, Aan jumped forward. Front flipping in the air he swung his blade a few times deflecting laser bolts. He landed swinging his sword in a broad fan to the right cutting two droids, and one soldier in half. He flipped sideways in the air kicking his legs up over his head in a sideways spin. As he finished his arched blade came at a downward angle through yet another soldier. His motion never stopped. He knelt on the ground and spinning with his foot out swept a droid of its feet. Aan finished his spin and came back to a standing position. His back to the falling droid he ran it through with his light saber catching it. 

He brought his saber forward out of the droid. In an underhanded grip, he brought his saber up in front of him deflecting a blaster bolt, then to the side deflecting a blaster bolt. He turned and knelt throwing his saber in a backward underhanded swing that caused the blade to spin like a fan. It cut through three droids and lodged itself in the side of an automated tank droid. Running forward he jumped off some flaming wreckage, flying forward but flipping backward he gracefully avoided blaster fire, and a rocket that flew right at him, missing him by only inches. He called his saber to him and caught it as he landed. Flipping the blade behind him he deflected more laser fire. 

He turned and pushed his hand forward throwing a group of droids and soldiers backward in front of another manned cargo loader. He put his hands out and flexed his fingers in a clawed position. He pictured the loader falling on the group. He felt the loader in his hands. He gripped around the outside edge and pulled forward. The loader tipped over. He then intensified his left-hand grip and imagined the main power core exploding. A few seconds later the loader sparked and burst into flame. It exploded a few moments later taking the rest of the enemy with it.

He was quickly joined by Jazone who brought reinforcements. He gave orders to protect their sleeping brethren, they then took off. This was Aan’s mission now. Find as many slave transports as possible and take them out. He would compromise the ship and Jazone would bring reinforcements.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

Que Den was lost to reality. He had gone blood drunk. At this time, he was only half aware of his actions. He knew what was going on, he made the decision of where he wanted to go, or what direction his blade should swing. But that was it. The motor function that controlled his body was no longer his, the force was in control of that. He had only recently discovered how to do it in the training rooms. He was thrilled to be able to use it in real combat! He had learned to give his body to the force while maintaining conscious control. This allowed him to move faster, jump higher, hear and see better, he was invincible. There was nothing beyond his sight or sense. He tore through masses of people and droids. 

Not having a side, he did not have to concern himself over which in the fray were friend or foe. He was free to kill anything he wanted. And he did so with great satisfaction, he could feel his power growing at that moment. It didn’t matter if it was permanent or not. The fact was he could call upon it now whenever he needed. 

He force jumped onto a twenty-foot-tall droid carrier. He ran down to the end of it and force jumped off as high as he could. The feeling was pure exhilaration! Flying through the air, the feeling of falling, he came down in a group of fighting men. His light saber came around cutting off one soldiers hand, he swung behind him splitting another’s skull with his blade. He came down diagonal left slashing open another’s mid-section. He bent backward missing a swing to his head, spun around to the left sending his sword to the hilt in yet another soldiers chest. He turned and grabbed the last soldier with his hands around his neck. He stepped forward forcing the man to his knees. Que squeezed the life out of him with his bare hands.

A mid-size manned tank came rolling through the field near him. It turned its gun and fired at a command center at the edge of the battle. Dozens of Yazminian soldiers flew in flames as the explosion hit. Vehicles and equipment burst into flame adding extra explosions. Men with legs blown off were screaming on the ground, corpses with burned faces, large holes through them or just pieces littered the field. 

Que jumped on the front of the tank. Using his light saber, he cut through the main twelve-inch barrel down to its base. He thrust his left hand against the opening as hard as he could, sending a massive force shock wave backward through the barrel. The force of the blast in such a confined area forced the top hatch to blow off. Every soldier that tried to escape was met by a light saber death. Finishing off the crew Que stood at one of the side machine guns. He pulled the trigger and unleashed a rapid-fire chain of death. Yazminian, droid, mercenary soldier, good guys or bad guys, it didn’t matter. They all fell prey to dark side apprentice Que Den's laser rain of destruction.

 

JayCee and Tosh had made their way across the field into the forest. Lare came out of the brush and motioned to them. They ran to the side where their new friend was. Tosh leaned over and dropped the duffle bag of weapons she was carrying. Lare opened it and looked up at Tosh with such a look of gratitude, Tosh looked her in the eye then nodded and ran off. JayCee in the middle of the resistance members dropped his bag as well. They passed out weapons. Explosions burst out in all directions. Tosh found JayCee and stuck to his side. She tried to never be more than two feet away from him at all times. But she tried to stay out of his way too. 

Three automated hover tanks were coming through the forest. Their massive size knocking down trees like matchsticks. They were blasting huge plasma bolts ripping through tree’s into Yaz defense vehicles. Other blasts sending squads of droids or soldiers flying through the air. “We have to find a way to take out those tanks!!” Tosh yelled. JayCee noticed the tanks were like a sweeper force. They were hovering about three feet off the ground, and traveling at no more than a walking pace. Their purpose was to take out the heavy artillery and clear the way for the infantry.

JayCee grabbed Tosh and led her down the way in the path of the tanks. They were non-thinking drones, they had no motion sensors that would pick them up. He looked at Tosh. “How much yield do those detonators have?” He asked. They had to yell over the sounds of war around them. Deafening explosions, the tier tier tier…tier tier, of blasters came from all directions. Engines, and flying crafts cutting through the air. “Enough for what I think you’re thinking. How are you going to get them inside?” Tosh responded. He smiled a little. “I’m not!” He yelled over the noise around them. “You are. Get your detonators ready. Lay here. I’m gonna cut a hole in the bottom of the tank. When it passes over you throw them in then get the hell out from under it!”

Tosh’s eye’s widened. “I’m gonna what?! I don’t think…” She stopped talking cause JayCee ran off. A few yards away, he laid on the ground. When the tank passed over him he lit his light saber and held it up thrusting it through the bottom armor. Laying on his back he pivoted on his tailbone and kicked his feet to the right causing him to turn in a circle. A round metal piece little more than shoulder width wide fell to the ground. Tosh was laying waiting. Probably more nervous than she’d ever been in her entire life. “What if miss? What if I throw it and it bounces off the rim of the hole and I blow myself to the afterlife? I know I wanted some action, but this is a little different than I had in mind.” She was thinking to herself. 

The Tank began to pass over her. That was the hole he cut for her! You’ve got to be kidding! She couldn’t reach it laying on her back. She had to roll on her stomach and get low on her knees. The tank was passing her she had to crawl, fast! She had to catch up to it. Scrapping her knee pad armor across the ground she caught up to where the hole was. She armed her explosives and threw them in. She rolled out from under it as fast as she could to find JayCee cutting some droids down with his saber.

Watching him fight was amazing. His grace and fluidity, his powerful strikes, the way he seemed to move just out of the way just in time for everything. His bright glowing orange blade left tracers of color as he swung it through the air. He would pull off some spinning flying technique that would cut through ten soldiers flinging arms or other various body parts through the air. After clearing the rabble, he deflected some blaster fire off in different directions. A few moments later small hover droids came soaring out from above, crashing into tree’s or the ground. The explosions and debris falling and killing many advancing soldiers. 

Tosh was under fire from behind. She turned and blasted her guns, tearing down two infantry droids. JayCee came from behind her. She turned and hit him in the chest. “Do you think next time you could make the hole a little smaller?! You rencorass!” She smiled sheepishly at him. “We need to take out those other tanks.” He said playfully. “Sure.” She said. They ran off and pursued them.

 

Hekk had no interest in the battles going on. He was not interested in anything except these crystals. If anything, this war was perfect timing. Usually when he does recon or searching of this sort he has to be careful, he must stay hidden and avoid would be obstacles. Not here, here he was free to move as he pleased. Nobody cared about why he was in this place or that. Now and then he would come across a squad of Yazminian soldiers or a group of mercenary invaders and tear them to pieces. He came to the entrance of the mine. It was dark inside, yet a strange glow lit the distance. He entered cautiously. 

Holding his hand out using it to sense a tremble in the force. So far there was nothing. His search could take a while. He was not going to get his hopes up at finding anything right now. He followed the winding tunnels to the source of the light. At the end, he found a grand cave. eighty stories up, ten stories down. The whole mountain was hollow. Millions of crystals could be farmed from this source. A path way winded around the entire circumference of the mountain twisting all the way up to the top. Tunnel openings dotted the path. Opening to the labyrinth of passages throughout the exterior shell of the mine.

These were not the stones he was looking for. He was about to leave when a sense ran through him. A tingle up his spine, he turned, intrigued. There was something here. There was no sense of what it was though, just that it was there. He followed it walking up the winding path. When the sense got strong enough he knew when to turn. Entering a tunnel, he followed it to a small cave room. It looked like it may have been an examining room or something. He found a large group of children and a few adults hiding from the chaos outside.  
“Well, what do we have here?” He said to himself. He walked forward and pulled out his light saber. One of the adults walked toward him. “Who are you? what are…” His words were cut off by Hekk’s blade through his stomach. The children started screaming and crying. The other two adults ran toward him. He threw his hand forward sending one of the men flying back into the wall. He kept his feet planted and leaned his torso to the left avoiding a downward swing. Then bent backward avoiding another. He came up with a swing tight to the inside coming under the man’s weapon. He walked over to the unconscious man he had thrown to the wall and used his force lightning to kill him. 

The children were sobbing. They were scared, a few tried to run. Hekk put his hands out and caught them with the force. He threw them back through the air, slamming them into the wall, they fell dead. The blue blood of the Yazminian children staining the cave rock. With a swing of his crimson blade he would take the heads of three kids no more than the age of eight or so. He lifted both hands palm up and four children raised into the air. Hekk threw his arms to the sides and slammed them into the walls. He threw his hands in front of him hurling streams of lightning into the air. The current surrounded the remaining six children that ranged from three to five years of age. Force electrification was an especially painful ordeal (As JayCee can contest). The fact that Hekk was using it to torture and kill small children showed how truly sadistic he is. 

Having killed off the lot of natives, He adjusted his robe and headed for the entrance to the cave. Time to look somewhere else, he would call his padawan to him and they would continue their search.

 

Aan and Jazone had so far destroyed ten slave carriers. The death toll was incredible but it seemed once they compromised an enemy area it was theirs. There was little to no attempt to reclaim that territory. Fighter pods whizzed overhead. Jazone had given instructions to a select few fighter squads to seek out these Corellian and Dathomirian cargo liners and destroy them. If they found any that had already been loaded or were in in process of being loaded, they were to communicate it to Jazone and Aan. They would find them and take them out themselves. 

 

Aul Exx, brand new padawan on his first assignment stood watching the carnage out the window. Fighters were doing acrobatic arial dances with each other. Bright flashes of green, yellow, and red filled the sky. Explosions and falling debris from destroyed ships rained down on the ground. Some would hit other tanks or carriers causing them to burst into flame as well. On the ground was not a pretty sight either. The Yazminian army clashed against the invading army in a huge melee battle. Large guns were set at opposite ends of the field. The enemy right against the tree line of the forest. They were blasting at each other, in the field, at fighters flying overhead. From his elevated view, we could see the tops of tree’s falling in the distance as tanks created a path of destruction.

Having been given permission to walk around the war room and observe the happenings going on, he looked on at the frantic rushing of military officers and ensigns yelling out troop positions, rattling off strike coordinates. Over the com were the sounds of screaming, yelling, explosions, etc... You could barely hear the voice yelling through at the other end. A soldier stood up yelling. “Sir! Sir!” A general came to him. “Enemy forces are penetrating the outer defense line of the castle!” The ensign said.

The General looked around. He walked to another station and peered over the officer’s shoulder. “How’s our interior defense position?” He said. The officer hit a few buttons and a holographic display came up showing a battle in the main courtyard. “The officer replied “The royal special forces are engaging the enemy in the front courtyard. Additional droids, and special forces members are positioned throughout the castle.”

The general hit a few buttons on the console and an image of the perimeter came up. There was at least a battalion of enemy droids approaching the castle. He spoke loud so everyone could hear him. “Everybody listen up! We need to evacuate to emergency bunker three O five! Reroute all programs and readouts to remote access one three four eight zooloo alpha hectate, lock all monitors and screens, shut off the main power system for this room!”

The general then walked over to the young padawan. “Your name is Aul Exx yes?” Aul nodded his head “Yes sir.” The general replied “I have orders to keep you protected. You will stay close to me as we move through the castle understand.” Aul nodded his head “Yes sir.”

They departed the war room. Heading left into the upper balcony of the castles entry way. Running around passing the stairs and throne room doors they could hear the battle just outside the door. The front doors burst open. Droids began spilling through, firing blasters at will. Some of the group fell with a yelp before they died. They rushed to the other side and went down the hall. The end of the hall turned right and went down the side of the throne room. They were slightly separated creating a long-enclosed courtyard. in the middle of the hall there was another hall turning left. They quickly ran down it. Droids were closing in behind them picking off a few in the back of the crowd. They came finally to a bookcase that pulled out revealing a secret staircase. 

Large versions of the standard juggernaut war droid came crashing through the windows. Glass flew everywhere. Infantry droids came around the corner. This was it. There was no escaping this. Only his first mission and he’s about to die. A tingle went up the back of his neck. He looked over and saw how close one of the juggernauts was to the window. Without a thought, he pushed his hand out yelling. The large robot looked as though it was hit by a wrecking ball. It was flung out the window to the ground below. Aul pulled out his light saber and ran toward another juggernaut. It fired at him but he deflected the fire away. Not a calculated strike, his deflections burst off in any random angle. He still had much work to do as far as mastering his oneness with his saber. He ran toward the droid and cut its legs off. As it fell the other guards finished it off with their blasters.

A few flying pod droids came floating down the hall. The royal guards had by this time joined the group and taken care of the other two enlarged juggernauts. Aul sensed the pod droids approach. He held his hands in the air in an upside down clenched position. He focused his energy on the droids. He pictured in his head the two droids colliding in the air and exploding. Feeling he had gathered enough energy he smashed his hands together. The two droids wobbled in their flight path and smashed into each other. They had to shield their heads from the falling mini wreckage. 

Three more of the group fell to the advancing infantry droids. Without a thought Aul ran towards a wall. He leapt in the air kicked off the wall and did a flying backward twist over the droids. He landed in the middle of the enemy group and began striking and slashing with his sword. They were in such proximity to each other Aul cut down four, five droids at a time. Being so close together they could not return fire. In essence protecting him from their own ability to attack! The combination of Aul’s attack from inside the group and the royal guard attacking from the outside made quick work of the rest of the enemy.

Having finished, Aul put his saber away and stood next to the general, who looked at him with incredulation, and pure amazement. “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen! How did you do that?!” He said. Aul looked around at the aliens. All of them stared in amazement. He thought he could feel their admiration and gratitude. He wasn’t sure if that’s what it was, he still needed more training with emulation, but that’s what he thought he felt. He looked around at them and replied “With the force as your ally, anything is possible.” He knew that to be true now. He never would have thought he would have been able to do what he just did. Yet when the pressure was on and it was time to act, he had just shown himself he can use the force! He is on his way to becoming a powerful Jedi!  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 

The battle raged for four days. Countless dead on both sides, cities in ruin, forests burnt to the ground, the country side was littered with corpses. The scars of this battle would run deep, and mare the planets face for generations to come. Thousands of slave ships had been destroyed, unfortunately thousands more had escaped. Carrying a cargo of Yazmina natives to an unknown fate.

JayCee, Tosh, and Lare Eiza made their way through the remaining forest to the caves hidden deep within the mountains. The tunnels twisted and winded in all directions. Passages intersected all over the place. It would be very hard to navigate through this maze. JayCee stayed close to Lare, and Tosh stayed close to JayCee. After what seemed to be two Miles of walking they finally entered the resistance headquarters.

A large cave four massive stories high. A walkway ran around the edge winding up to the top. Holes lined the outer wall of the cave. Some led to paths leading into the mountain, some led into large holes that served as living quarters, store rooms, assembly halls, etc. Lare had discovered this area many years ago, when she and her followers defected from the rule of The Essences. Seeing through their lies she knew they had to be stopped. She took all who would go with her and for the last few years had been working on traveling to other worlds in search of someone who might be able to help. She now believes that person has come to her.

Her uncle King Jazone had been given orders from The Essences to find her and make a public example of her. Being devoted more to his family, than anybody else, put out orders to track them, but made it a very shallow investigation. 

“We will be safe here.” Lare said, she then looked at Tosh and all her clumsy mismatched armor. "Come with me. We will go see the metal worker and get you some armor that fits.” She said. She then addressed JayCee. “Feel free to walk around. You are both welcome here…Explore.” With that her and Tosh walked off up the side path.

Tosh entered the metal shop. The worker was busy pounding out something on an anvil. He was distracted by the weird looking alien that just walked into his shop. His distraction caused him to bring his hammer down at a wrong angle messing up the gauntlet he was working on. Lare spoke. “Armen.” She motioned to Tosh. “This is Tosh. A warrior from the outer worlds.”

Armen looked at Tosh. “Forgive me if I seem rude staring. I’ve just never seen an alien before! This is one of the greatest experiences of my life! What can I do for you?” Lare answered. “We need armor.” Armen walked over to a shelf on the far wall. He picked up a scanner and pointed it at Tosh scanning her for her measurements. He then plugged a wire into the main console. An image of her body came up in front of them. He made some markings on the 3-D image then said. “I think we can do something here. You’re small. This shouldn’t take very long. I’ll get started on it right now.” He dropped his gauntlet on the floor and turned around to get started.

As they left the room, JayCee came walking up to them. “What’s up?” He said. Tosh looked at him. “We need to get A.O.N.! I forgot all about her! We need to find her!” JayCee put his hand on her shoulder. “Calm down. There’s nothing we can do until we are ready anyway. Don’t overwork yourself. We’ll get your robot.” Tosh calmed a little. Lare looked at them. “Come. You must be hungry. Let’s eat, and rest.”

 

The battle was beginning to slow. Fewer and fewer attacks were being launched, enemy advances were dissipating. For some reason, no more reinforcements were being deployed. Jazone wondered what was going on. The only thing he could think of was that they were getting ready for a massive attack from the orbiting ships. He and Aan had made their way back to the castle. The left wing was on fire. The second time in a month the castle had been burned. Jazone led Aan to the secret passage behind the book case finding the general and Aan’s apprentice. Aan regarded his student. “I’m glad to see you’re okay.” He said. 

The general stepped forward and saluted Aan. “Sir. My name is Marod Leedin. General of the king’s royal army. With your permission, I, would like to give a report.”

Aan. “You may.”

General. “Sir, this young man here.” He put his hand on Aul’s shoulder. “Was instrumental in our survival. He showed incredible bravery, and courage in the face of danger, he put the wellbeing of others first by placing himself in harm’s way to protect us. His supernatural skills were incredible! Without his help, we would not have made it here. It is my recommendation that this young man receive the highest marks allowable for his actions.”

Aul blushed a little. Aan smiled. “Thank you general. Your recommendation has been taken under advisement. I agree, this will be in my report to the Jedi counsel. His deeds will not go unrecognized.”

Jazone. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but we need to focus on bigger issues right now.” They began to gather around when a communicator dinged on Jazones belt. When he activated it an image of a droid came up. “Yes.” Jazone said. The droid replied “Your exaltedness, your presence is requested in the chamber of The Essences.” Jazone looked up and rolled his eyes. “I understand. I am on my way.” He clicked off his com. “I must go.” He said. “I will return soon.” He looked at the general. “This man is in charge. You still have command of the military but you are to give Master Aan full cooperation. Understood?”

Marod stood and saluted. “I understand sir!”

With that Jazone departed. Escorted by two Tac-Tac bodyguard droids he made his way down the main hall to his throne room. Closing the doors, he entered his personal chambers. There was a holo pad in the middle side of the room. He knelt on it. The pad lit up. Holo images of four people came up around him. They were covered in long flowing robes. Hoods covered the top of their faces.

“You requested me.” He said standing up.

All four members of the Essence spoke in unison, as if they shared one collective consciousness. “Why is the outsider here?”

Jazone. “He came to help us. Without him we would not have been as successful as we were.”

Essences. “Their involvement is not necessary! It is against the code!”

Jazone. “I don’t understand. Why is Alderia so against us interacting with outsiders?”

Essences. “They are corruptors. They are impure, they will destroy everything we have built here. Our peaceful ways will disappear. They must be sent away.”

Jazone. “I understand. We will not accept any more help but can the one that is here stay. Surely one man can’t be that dangerous.” 

Essences. “No! If he is not sent away he will be dealt with internally. Even one man is too many….” They paused for a second. “You are still true to the ways…Are you not. We don’t have any reason to believe you would betray us, would we?”

Jazone. “No. Alderia sees all. I am a faithful servant of her word.”

Essence. “Good. Then you will do as we say. Get rid of the outsider.”

With that the communicator turned off. Jazone stood in front of a window and looked out at the smoke, and decimation of what was only a few days ago, a beautiful landscape. He had gotten no closer to understanding what was happening. It was driving him crazy! 

 

 

Hekk found his apprentice literally knee deep in bodies. Sword drawn, blood splatter on his face, he was breathing very hard standing on a field of victory. His field of victory. He had reached a new level of power. He could feel his muscles tremble with the strength of the force. 

Hekk. “You are becoming strong…very strong. I am proud of you my young apprentice. You now know what if feels like to give in fully to your hate. To let your thirst for blood and domination consume you. You have taken a very important step toward becoming a darth.”

Que. “Thank You, my master. Now I sense we are heading north. To the Cliffside mines that were on the map.”

Hekk. “Very good.” 

Darth Kifo and Que Den searched the battle ruins for any working vehicles. They found a single person gunner ship. Kind of like a hover bike with two laser turrets on each side. They had a short nose, and mid length body. They were good for fast acceleration and high speeds. And a standard two-person speeder. Hekk took the speeder and gave the gunner ship to Que. They took off for their new destination.

 

JayCee, Tosh, and Lare had just woken up. It was morning. Due to crampt living conditions JayCee and Tosh had to share a room. There was only one large bed, then a carved-out area with a toilet, sink, and shower. It was slightly awkward at first. Tosh had hoped something might happen. JayCee was resistant though he sat crisscross against the wall and meditated for sleep giving her the bed. He was trying to be gentlemanly, but that’s not what she wanted. Now the following morning JayCee was in the shower. 

After recent events, realizing what they were now apparently in for, she didn’t want to go to the afterlife with any regrets. She removed her clothes and stepped into the shower with him. He turned and started to say something but was cut off by her lips pressing against his. She closed her eyes……

They made love in the shower then got dressed and went to find Lare at the main food hall. They ate breakfast and discussed their plan. After eating they would stop by the metal shop and receive Tosh’s new armor. They would then take a small armored transport to the prison. JayCee would do his thing and retrieve the A.O.N. droid. Tosh and Lare would cover the entrance and monitor for movement and thermal readings. After retrieving the droid JayCee, Tosh, And Lare had also discussed going after the kidnapped Yazminians. Lare wanted her brothers and sisters back, JayCee and Tosh wanted to know why they had been taken in the first place. 

At the metal shop Armen was waiting with his specially made custom fitted armor. Handing pieces to Tosh he explained all about it. “It’s made of Kalmer. A blend of three different metals creating our strongest steel. Able to withstand tremendous blunt force from any direction. It is effective in deflecting laser fire. The composition of the metal, combined with these small angles.” He pointed at small rivets that protruded from the surface and ran the length of the pieces. “Is able to redirect the trajectory of an angled shot. A straight shot will still penetrate so be careful.” 

The metal was a natural dark silver gray color. Tosh liked it because it just happens to match JayCee's robes. It fit her body perfectly, custom fitted to every contour of her body. The chest plate was one piece. Somehow the metal seemed to expand to fit over her, like a sweater it snugged itself back against her body after it was put on. Shoulder armor was melded to each side of the chest plate that stretched out over her shoulders about three inches and came to a point.  
The gauntlets covered her hands with thin but durable nylon like material. “This material is blade resistant. Only to a regular blade however. Anything with an energy charge could still penetrate.” Armen said. Metal covered the top of her hand with hinges and smaller interlocked pieces that ran down her fingers. At her knuckles were small spikes. Running up the forearm, backward curving spikes came up. “If you find yourself falling off a mountain or sliding off a dome or rooftop, drag your forearm above your head to help with traction. The thigh and shin plates, and knee pads were the same as her other armor. They fit over her legs like a sock. Stretching and fitting itself around her. The thighs each had gun holsters on the outside that adjusted to fit the size of gun she had. The shoes had ultra-traction, and could assimilate to any surface or condition.

JayCee couldn’t get over how hot she was wearing it. After making love in the shower he figured they were now together. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that, but it would have to wait until later. There were more pressing issues at hand. JayCee had felt uneasy ever since he arrived. They were in the northern mountains. To get to the prison, they had to come out on the southernmost point. Then cross the forest. At least what was left of it. The three got in the armored vehicle and departed. 

Jazone reentered the safe room. He approached Aan with a solemn look on his face. Aan turned to face his friend. He held up his hand before Jazone could speak. “They want us to go. Don’t they.”  
Jazone nodded. “May we speak in private?” Aan answered “Yes. Let’s walk this way.” They both walked toward the bookcase door and down the hall.

Jazone. “If you leave. We will die.”

Aan. “Where can we go that would be safe? We can make ourselves unknown until needed.”

Jazone. “The northern mountains. Travel north east towards the rising moon until you reach the prison at the southernmost tip. Just beyond the third mound is a boulder. Behind that boulder is a passageway into the mountain. There is no map through it, and no possible way you can navigate it on your own. Wander through and fall into one of their traps. They will gather you and take you to the compound. My niece lives hidden deep within them. Take this.” He handed Aan a small cloth from his breast plate. “This is my insignia. Lare knows this piece of cloth. She made it for me, she will take you in.” 

Aan. “We will go. Until needed.”

Jazone. “How will you know?”

Aan. “We will know.”

Jazone grabbed Aan’s forearm. “Take care my friend.” Aan called Aul’s name. When he came, they left? Taking a speeder from the royal garage they made their way for the northern mountains. Aan’s stomach became upset. He felt nervous. The kind of nervous you feel when you’re about to do something that will hurt, or be exhausting. That feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach you get just before doing something you really don’t want to do. He knew this feeling. It was the feeling the force gave him to warn him of danger. 

Whatever was waiting for him he would be ready.

 

CHAPTER NINETEEN

 

Hekk Taur. Darth Kifo felt uneasy. There was something on the horizon. The closer he got to the northern mountains the worse it got. He stopped the speeder, Que stopping next to him. “Is everything ok master?” He said. Hekk did not answer. His eyes were closed. He was calming his mind…A flash went through his head… An image, a familiar presence…JayCee!! He was here! And on his way to the same place he was!! The force has blessed him this day. He motioned to Que. “We have a new directive. Follow me.”

Que. “Yes master.” They sped off in their new direction. The armored vehicle tore through the lower tunnels of the mountains base. Large enough to fit a Corellian MT-1 freighter. There was more than enough room to accommodate six vehicles side by side. Rows of large flood lights lit the pitch-black cave. JayCee continued to feel nervous. For some reason, he didn’t want to go back to the prison. He was afraid, he knew something dark awaited him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. 

The light at the end of the tunnel came into view. The windows tinted automatically when the sun hit. Driving through the ashes of the once forest, bumping up and down over piles of bodies brought tears to Lare’s eyes. “How could something so horrible happen here? Why would anybody want to do something like this?” She couldn’t understand. They cautiously approached the back side of the prison. Scanning for life signs they picked up none.

Lare. “No one home. Well I guess we’ll just go get your droid and be on our way.”

JayCee. “No. You two stay here. Let me go.”

Tosh. “There’s no one in there. The place is empty. It’s fine.”

JayCee. “That doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. Trust me, stay here.”

She did trust him. She knew now that she loved him. After this morning, she knew he loved her too. He hadn’t said it, but he didn’t need to. Mabey, it was the force, but she could feel it. If he said it wasn’t safe let him go alone, she would do as he asked.

The building was dark. A large portion was no longer standing. The dining hall was destroyed, most of the cell blocks, and rec yards. Just one more structural casualty in this war. The main receiving area, guard dorms, and the confiscation vault were still intact. Thankfully, A.O.N. would be stored in the confiscation room, a large storage area for miscellaneous items taken from here or there. Walking down a hallway he came before a large metal door. Easy enough to open the lock and swing the door open. He lit his light saber for light and looked around. Coming to the droid, JayCee tried to find a manual on/off switch. If there was one, it was very well hidden. He decided to save time. He placed his hand stretched out over the top of the dome. He imagined in his head a spark creating an electrical connection to the startup motor in the droid’s main servo drive. Within seconds the robot lit up and became animate.

A.O.N. “Thanks for coming for me, but could you maybe walk around the building a couple more times? I don’t think you took long enough.” 

JayCee, Wide eyed and serious. “You’re lucky we came back for you at all.”

JayCee began walking back through the prison A.O.N. following close behind. “I know we don’t know each other that well but I’m picking up that you’re not a very nice person. Are you.” A.O.N. said as they left the room. 

 

“So, when we do find a way to get to the outside we will all be able to communicate. Or like right now. You have visited our world and obviously don’t speak our language, because it is mandatory for all resistance members to learn common we can now converse.” Lare said finishing her explanation of how on a hidden planet with no outside contact so many people seem to speak the universal language. 

The radar began to beep. Lare looked over at it. “Looks like…a…speeder is on the way here…” She hit a few buttons on the console. “About ten Miles out.” Tosh hit her earpiece and spoke. “JayCee, we have…” She was cut off. “A speeder on the way here? Yeah, I know. You two stay there. There’s something not right here. I’ll bring the droid to you then I need you too…” JayCee stopped talking when A.O.N. said "I’m picking up something on my scanner."

JayCee’s knees became weak and almost gave out. He became dizzy, and nauseous. He felt a presence. A presence he had not felt since….

Turning toward A.O.N. “Can you pick up the transport on your scanner?” JayCee asked.

A.O.N. replied “Yes.”

JayCee. “Good. You need to get there as soon as possible.” He then clicked on his earpiece. “Tosh, Lare, I’m sending A.O.N. to you alone. Once you have the droid get out of here as fast as you can.”

Tosh. “What’s wrong?! Why aren’t…” She was cut off again

JayCee. “Damn it Tosh just do it! Get the hell out of here!”

A voice came from the shadows. “It’s too late. There is no escape…My old friend.”

JayCee turned to the shadows concealing his old teacher. “Darth Kifo. I was wondering when our paths would cross.”

Hekk. “You didn’t think you could hide from me, forever did you?”

JayCee. “Yeah. Cause you came here specifically for me. Bantha fodder! You mistakenly ran into me.”

Hekk. “What makes you say that?”

JayCee. “The Sith and Jedi are known for their tracking abilities. It’s never taken you more than what? A month? Maybe two? To find what you were looking for. Yet in five years we have never crossed paths. You may search for me a little here and there to appease yourself. But deep down, you never wanted to find me.” 

Hekk chuckled to himself. “Listen here boy! The force was kind to give you this much time. To let you play your silly little game. But you will not leave here alive. Have you sensed it. The speeder that just arrived. Do you know who that is?”

JayCee. “Aan Thoni. It would seem the force has once again brought us together.”

A few moments later Aan came around the corner. Aan had already given his student instructions to keep himself away from the battle and hidden. This was his to handle. 

Aan. “Well well well. Looks like a Sith, and…” He peered at JayCee’s dark gray robes. “I’ll be honest; I have no idea what you think you are.”

Hekk laughed a little. “I know, right? I was thinking the same thing.”

Both having something in common, JayCee’s deception, they were able to share a little moment. Aan became slightly impatient. “Well…Let’s have it. What the hell are you.”

JayCee spoke. “Using what both of you taught me, along with my own personal philosophy, and a few other things, I have been successful in joining the power of both sides. I am Sidi master JayCee. The first of a new breed of force sensitives.”

Both Aan and Hekk looked at each other and began laughing. 

Hekk. “Sidi? That’s cute, you mixed the names, that’s adorable.” He said shaking his head at the ground. Without moving his head, he rolled his eyes up, and changed glances between JayCee, and Aan. He then spoke with heavy sarcasm. “Okay then…Sidi. Let’s see just how good you are.” 

Aan. “It would seem that each of us has an equally personal issue with one another” He unclipped his light saber from his belt. “This should prove to be very interesting.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY

 

Hekk leapt into the air in a spin attack. As he twirled in Aan’s direction he threw his hand out sending a shockwave that knocked him off his feet. He landed in a backward swing with his saber at JayCee. JayCee blocked the attack and came back with a backward diagonal left swing, Hekk bent back avoiding it, JayCee came back to the right with a horizontal swing, Hekk deflected with an upside-down block, stepped wide brought their swords in an upward circle then broke contact, pivoted, and brought his sword straight down bringing JayCee’s with it.

Aan recovered and ran toward Hekk. Hekk sensed his approach and swung wide. With his hand pointed down, the tip of his sword aimed at the ground he brought it around blocking Aan’s swing. He bent over and turned inward ducking under JayCee’s blade, he spun to the outside pointed at a rock then pointed at JayCee. The rock flew through the air knocking JayCee upside the head.

JayCee was dazed, luckily at that moment Aan had engaged Hekk giving him the time he needed to recover. Hekk spun around pointed at another larger rock and did the same, sending another rock hurling towards him. JayCee held his hands out, using the force he slowed the small boulder, then straining against its weight sent it back through the air. Hekk and Aan were engaged in extreme combat. Hekk didn’t sense the massive object until it was too late. The boulder slammed into him knocking him off his feet. Hekk had only enough time to slightly change its direction stopping it from crushing him. He was wounded though. It felt as though some ribs may be broken. JayCee in the meantime ran towards Aan. Sabers drawn they clashed against each other’s swords. Aan came down over his head, then tilted his sword tip down, then tip up straight in front of him, then lowered to his waist, he angled the sword to the right, shunted up then hacked to the side. He and JayCee had begun mirror imaging. A point in a saber battle when everything kind of syncs up. 

Both participants make the same moves at the same time. They enter a trance like state of pure focus causing the instantaneous contact of the blades to bounce off each other looking more like a choreographed dance than a battle of death and honor. This trance like state happens to non-force users as well. JayCee had once heard it referred to as being in “The Zone”. When you are totally in the moment, there are no false moves, no mistakes, no calculations. Just reflex and movement. JayCee had used that analogy a time or two when explaining how the force doesn’t exist only in force users, but is literally used by every living being. 

Hekk regained his feet, seeing the others engrossed in each other he lifted his hands to the remaining ceiling in the room. He focused his energy, took a deep breath, he imagined the ceiling coming down on top of the other two. Soot fell, a crack ran through the concrete / stone material. The massive plate that made up the roof came free from the walls and crashed down below. 

 

 

Lare opened the door and Tosh stood calling for A.O.N. to hurry. The droid was coming as fast as it could. The rapid clack clack clack across the hard ground got slightly faster, but not much. A.O.N. was almost to the transport when the droid began slowing down, looking almost as if it were being weighed down and pushed against. There was laughter. Que jumped down from above facing the entrance to the transport. “Hello ladies. Now what brings such beautiful ladies like you to a dump like this?”

Lare pulled out her blaster and fired. Que was fast, he dodged all five rounds she shot. “That wasn’t very friendly. If you don’t want to give me your contact info all you had to do was say so.” Que said. He drew his light saber. Tosh and Lare again opened fire. Que deflected some shots with his sword, then jumped and flipped out of the way. He disappeared. Lare shut the door in a hurry. When she got to her controls she looked out the front window and saw Que arming the laser cannons on his gunnery ship.  
Tosh and Lare flung the emergency hatch and climbed through. Jumping off the side they barely escaped the blast. Engulfed momentarily by flame, then by smoke. The force of the blast flung them into the distance. The front of the transport was damaged but most the craft was still intact. Tosh slammed hard against a wall and fell on a pile of fallen bricks. Lare had been impaled by shrapnel from the blast, and hit the ground hard. 

 

JayCee and Aan both rolled out of the way of the falling concrete. One of the stones fell on JayCee’s robe pinning it to the ground. He was pulling his arms out of the sleeves when Hekk came flying over the pile sword drawn in a downward motion. JayCee tried to bring his sword up to deflect when Hekk was suddenly hit from the side. A massive blast of air and energy sent him flying into the wall ten feet away. JayCee had just enough time to free himself when Aan came running towards him. They again engaged in a spectacular battle. Hekk came running in to join the fray. Aan would swing at JayCee’s head, JayCee would duck and Aan’s blade would clash against Hekks blade instead, Hekk would avoid an attack from Aan and attack back but Aan would throw his hand forward causing Hekk's sword to redirect toward JayCee, JayCee who was striking at Aan as well would have to redirect his blade to intercept Hekks. While he did this he pushed his other hand out in Aan’s direction throwing him through the air.

 

Que was coming closer to Tosh and Lare. Lare was badly wounded, she needed help, Tosh fired her blaster at the black robed figure walking towards her, but to no avail. Every bolt was deflected. JayCee had explained to her the different saber arts. She knew he could deflect them right back at her and kill her. But he didn’t. He was messing with her, taunting her like an animal with its meal. She decided to put the blaster down. Que approached slowly. Looking at her with a twisted gaze he ignited his light saber, and struck.

His blade stopped. Deflected by something. A green glow appeared below his red. Aul Exx had been watching his master in battle when he felt a tingle in his spine, and a chill run through his arms. He was drawn to explore his surroundings. Having seen Que attacking these two women he couldn’t just do nothing. 

Que. “Who are you?”

Aul. “I am Jedi knight Aul Exx. Who are you?”

Que. “You are no Jedi. You are way too young.” He looked at the younger boy. “What is this your first assignment?” He looked closer at him. He could see in his eye’s it was. He chuckled to himself. “Force be damned it is!” He swung his sword a little, then gave Aul a sinister look. “Too bad kid…My name is Que Den, and I’ll be your murderer today.” With that he attacked.

 

Fatigue was beginning to set on Hekk, Aan, and JayCee. JayCee leapt backwards in the air. He threw his hand out throwing Hekk and Aan each back into a wall. He reached out with his hand and pulled down. A half standing support pillar crumbled and fell. A large portion of it coming against the corner of the large room they were in, pinning Aan against the floor, knocking him unconscious.  
Hekk got up and charged forward. His rage consuming him to the point that he didn’t even pull out his light saber. He swung at JayCee bare handed. JayCee brought his left hand forward blocking the attack. Hekk swung with his other hand. JayCee spun to the side, stepped back and threw a spin kick at Hekk. Hekk spun low to the ground coming up with a reverse spin kick knocking JayCee across the face. Stunned JayCee spun around from the force of the kick. Hekk came up with a jab to his ribs, then a right hook to his jaw. 

JayCee hit the ground hard. Blood dripping from his face. Hekk kicked him in the gut knocking the wind out of him. He lifted his hands, JayCee lifted into the air. Hekk turned his torso and crossed his arms over each other as he pushed them forward. JayCee flipped up and down as he flew through the air and was tossed through the missing wall of the huge room. JayCee lay still on the ground. 

 

Que moved forward sword in hand. Aul was quick to react. Bringing his sword in front of him. Que’s strikes were strong! He was much more experienced than him. Aul began to worry. He jumped back, then back again. Que leapt forward once more attempting a straight jab. Aul swung his sword down knocking Ques away. Through all his awkward movements Aul had discovered something. The power of the attack was less when Aul gripped his saber a little lighter, and gave more leeway with his wrist. Allowing his hand to move with the contact not against it. Once discovered Aul quickly realized that the overall strength of the attacks was significantly lessened. 

Having a new-found courage, he stood his ground. As far as speed, somehow, he could keep up with the older more experienced foe. He mustn’t lose his focus though. Concentrate. Parry, thrust forward, diagonal down, up right, spin, thrust, fan left, duck, spin, spear strike, the movements were coming, though not from him.

Que was impressed by his little opponent. He was young and timid, yet when the time came to throw down, that’s exactly what he did. He did not hesitate; he did not falter. However, Que had had enough, he blocked back, shunted forward and knocked the saber from young Aul’s hand. He threw his hand forward force pushing him backward rolling on the ground. Tosh fired her blaster at him but he deflected every shot. He raised his hand to bring part of the building down on them but as he did, he was shot from behind with a tranquilizer dart.

A.O.N. had recovered and rebooted and shot him with a surgical anesthesia. Que had a look of shock on his face as he fell to the ground and closed his eyes. He didn't see that coming! He was distracted by the boy and lost his focus on outer events! How could he be so careless!  
A.O.N. then tended to Lare’s wounds. It could slow the bleeding but they needed to get to their ship to remove the shrapnel. They had to hurry. A.O.N. gave her a shot of adrenaline to perk her up but Tosh would have to figure out how to drive the transport. Hopefully the ship wasn’t destroyed. Hopefully they could get there. Hopefully no one else will attack them. 

Tosh yelled to Aul. “Hey kid! I don’t know who you are but you need to come with us!” Aul looked up and returned “I can’t leave without my master!” He ran off back into the building. She didn’t know what was going on but she couldn’t wait. After they got Lare to the ship they would return for JayCee. Tosh knew he could take care of himself.  
JayCee stood up. Hekk was walking towards him. “You have gotten strong! I will give you credit for having accomplished something unique. You have proven your point. But now it is time to end this. He pointed his fingers forward, JayCee knew what was coming. He hunched himself slightly forward, bent his left elbow bringing his hand up by his shoulder, then bringing his right shoulder up and back parallel to his left hand he raised his hand palm facing out and curled his fingertips down. He slowed his breath, slowly in through the nose powerfully out the mouth. As he exhaled he placed his hands in front of him like he was going to catch a ball.

Hekk released his stream of electricity flowing through the air. It hit JayCee and momentarily surrounded him. JayCee focused his energy in his center using magnetic energy to pull the electricity to one point in front of him. He looked at Hekk and smiled. Hekk could not believe his eyes! “How is this punk able to do this!” He thought to himself. “I’ve never met anyone who was able to catch force lightning! What is this! How is this possible!” He stopped his flow of energy and looked at the young man. “How are able to do that?”

JayCee. “I told you. I am a Sidi master. Under my unique philosophy, I’ve learned all sorts of new tricks.” He held his hands out. “And learned a few existing ones as well. Tell me. Can you catch force lightning?” With that he let loose his own current of streaming electrical charge. Hekk was consumed by light, racked with pain. His body twisted and convulsed. His arms and legs went numb. JayCee was enjoying this tremendously. Returning the pain, he was once given by his enemy. 

Hekk was paralyzed. He couldn’t move against it, he was helpless. He could tell that JayCee’s electrical charge was nowhere near as strong as his own, but it was strong enough. The pain was immense.  
JayCee had to stop. He could feel his eye’s intensifying. Whenever he used the dark side his eyes would change. He knew that if he allowed his eyes to change fully he would be consumed. It was a dangerous road. The last road he had to conquer to become a true master. He dropped his hands. Normally he would kill his enemy in this situation. He ignited his saber… But he was now too close to the threshold. He could not kill Hekk. Not right now.  
Hekk was badly injured, he could make his escape fortunately without having to kill him. He turned and started to walk away. Hekk recovered to his feet, barley. He ran toward JayCee as silently as he could, raising his arms high in the air.  
JayCee sensed his approach. He waited for the right moment then ducked, and spun around, using his light saber he cut through Hekks leg just below the knee. The motion swept Hekk into the air. JayCee placed his hands on Hekks chest and pushed him violently to the ground. Hekk hit the ground and was knocked out. 

JayCee turned and began sprinting off. He didn’t know exactly where he was going, but the force will guide him, and Tosh will find him. 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 

 

Aul ran through the back entrance to the prison, and down a corridor. He calmed himself and quieted his mind. He stretched out with his feelings. He sensed his master’s energy and followed it. He entered the large half broken room and found his master pinned under a pillar in the corner. Aan was conscious, he was bleeding from the head and had a broken arm. Using the force together they could move the pillar off him enough to get free. Limping, holding himself up on Aul’s shoulder they headed for the missing wall to exit the building. They passed by Hekk’s legless body.  
Though he wanted to, he couldn’t kill him. He was unarmed, and unconscious. It was against the Jedi code.  
They made their way to their speeder and took off. “Where are, we going master?” Aul said driving across the field. Aan was holding his arm, he was clearly in a state of mental exhaustion and confusion. “We must leave this planet. It is not safe for us. We must get back to Coruscant and report this to the council.” He laid his head on the door and passed out.

 

Que regained consciousness and sat up. Still hazy from the effects of the tranquilizer, he stumbled to his feet. He made his way to behold his master sitting up holding the bottom part of his leg in his hands. Rage and unbridled hatred seeped from him. Que was terrified to face his mentor. He had failed, he was unable to stop them from leaving. A padawan on his first mission of all things bested him and escaped. He was sure to be in trouble. 

Hekk said nothing as Que approached and stood before him. He got up, and using his padawan as a crutch they limped their way to their ship and departed. Not one word was spoken on the return trip to Korivaar. Hekk spent the entire time in the medical bay’s hyper barrack chamber in meditation. Unable to heal himself without a victim to steal living energy from he was forced to rely on the medical droids to do the best they could. 

Que stayed as far away from his master as possible. He knew why his teacher had not punished him for his failure. It was because he had failed as well. Beaten by a new enemy. This Sidi, Que wondered where he came from. It was not for him to worry about. He focused on the boy. The baby padawan learner who had been able to resist his power. He must find this boy and finish him.

They entered the atmosphere of their home planet. Exiting their craft, Hekk on crutches. He was immediately escorted to the medical bay of the main palace. It was there he spent three days having a new leg attached and assimilated to his body. After a few more days adjusting to his new leg he prepared himself to stand before his superiors on the council.

He and Que stood before the doors to the throne room. A 3PO droid came out of the room and said. “You may enter now.”  
They both began to walk toward the door. The droid held out its hand and stopped Que. “My apologies sir but only Darth Kifo is welcome in the chamber at this time.” Que stopped in his tracks. He looked frustrated and took a few steps back. Hekk ventured on alone. Unsure of what was about to happen, he had his guard up. He would fight if it came to that. He is loyal to the order, but not as loyal as he is to himself.

He entered the chamber and approached the center of the ring of thrones. Upon which sat the Sith high council. Hekk stood in the center and kneeled, placing his opposite hand to the ground. “What is thy bidding…My masters.”

Lord one. “We have felt a disturbance in the force.”

Lord Four. “We know you know who this person is.”

Hekk stood, his hood was over his head covering his face in shadow. “Yes. Master. His name is JayCee. He has claimed a new order of force user called the Sidi.”

Lord seven. “Sidi?” He sat back in his large chair. “As in Si for Sith and Di for Jedi?” He looked down and shook his head. “Interesting play on words.”

Lord one. “We are to assume then he is attempting to employ both light and dark powers.”

Lord three. “Preposterous! It has never been done! It can never be done! This is blasphemy!”

Lord eight. “Darth Kifo.” He said calmly. “How does he know the dark side I wonder… Can you offer any information?”

Hekk bowed his head. “He learned from me.” 

Lord one. “Interesting.” He sat forward and stared at him. “What, I wonder would possess you too betray our teachings.”

Hekk preparing to reach for his light saber answered “He has very powerful methods of persuasion. He’s an anomaly with the power to mind trick even the strong minded.”

Lord two stood from his throne and approached Hekk. As he neared him he reached out his hand and placed it over Hekks face and squeezed. Hekk grunted from the pain. The second lord of the council closed his eyes and caught flashes of memory. Flashes of JayCee’s training through Hekks eye’s, flashes of Hekk’s rage at him, his desire to kill him to regain his honor.”  
The second lord took his hand from Hekks face and turned. “He speaks the truth. This boy has incredible powers of persuasion. He is strong with the force. Not only did our young friend here fall under his spell but a young Jedi knight as well.” He took a few steps away from Hekk, folding his hands under his sleeves. “Darth Kifo has attempted to turn him to the dark side fully, but it is clear he will not. It would seem this so-called Sidi is a credible threat.” He turned violently toward Hekk. “Your hate is strong with this boy! Darth Kifo! Do you wish to possess the power to destroy your enemy!?”

Hekk flexed every muscle in his body and screamed “YES MY MASTER!!!!!!” The second lord screamed back in his face “THEN KNEAL BEFORE ME!!!!!!” Hekk rushed to one knee, his head bowed, his hands straight down. The other lords stood from their thrones. The second lord circled around him. “You have shown incredible skills in the force. You have brought honor to yourself and to your order. You have shown your loyalty; your hatred is complete.” He put his hand on Hekk’s shoulder.

“On behalf of the Sith high order I, the second Lord of the highest council herby defer upon you the rank of dark lord of the Sith.” He took his hand off his shoulder and stepped back. “Now rise…Lord Kifo.”

Hekk stood. He removed the hood from his head. The second lord looked at him. “We have much to show you. Do you know why we wanted you to find those crystals on Yazmina?” Hekk looked at him. “They have the power to enhance the power of the force within you.” The other lords laughed a little. “They have the power to do much more than that. Much more. Send your padawan for the crystals. Tell him he will receive the rank of darth upon his successful completion.”

With that the council stood and left. Hekk called the 3PO droid. “You called my lord?” Hekk replied “Tell Que to come in here.” The droid turned and went to summon the boy.  
Hekk couldn’t believe it. He was now a Lord! The highest rank and honor of the Sith order. He was beside himself. But it would have to wait. Right now, there was important business at hand. Que entered the room. He could feel something different, something unusual about his mentor.

Hekk spoke. “My student. You have come far with me. You have learned to unleash your anger and fear nothing. You are willing to sacrifice anything and destroy anyone who gets in your way. It has paid off for me. I am now a Dark Lord. You will get your chance as well. Sooner than you think…Do you know what we were looking for on Yazmina? In your blood rage, did you pay enough attention to our mission?”

Que. “Yes master. We were looking for dark force crystals. You were staying close to the mountains, looking in the caves.”

Hekk. “Good. I have business to attend to here. You will return to the planet and find the crystals. If you return successful you will have helped the dark side in our quest for ultimate dominance, and will be granted the rank of darth.”

Que smiled under his hood. “Yes master.” He stood and faced his master. “I will not fail again master.” Hekk put his hand on Ques shoulder. “Neither of us will.” He responded. They both departed on their separate journey’s.

 

Que went to his quarters and double checked his things. Everything in its place he headed for his ship to depart. This was his biggest assignment yet. With the rank of darth on the table he would not fail. He wondered what was so important about these crystals. They had promised the rank of Lord to Kifo. Now a new rank to him. They wanted these things bad. He wondered if there might be some way he could use these crystals to rise further than that. He knew right now though he wanted to get some sleep. He laid on the bed in his sleeping quarters. The navi-computer would steer the way for him for now.  
He awoke hours later. He stretched and walked around. He spent the entire trip aside from sleeping, training, and meditating. He was consumed by his unknown weakness. What was it that he failed at before? He had to know…

Once again arriving on planet Yazmina he immediately set out for his prize. Hekk’s obsession had now become his. He had no interest in killing or getting caught up in the mayhem this time. He would focus solely on his mission at hand. The rank of Darth. He increased the speed of his hover bike and sped on for the first village.

He landed close to where they were headed when they ran into the Jedi and the other one. Close to the southern tip of the northern mountains. However, he was about one hundred Miles north on the western side. It was a more direct route anyway. All around him were signs of annihilation. He was in the country, but in every direction, were wrecks of Yazminian flying pods, an assortment of mercenary flying craft, destroyed tanks, and pieces of battle droids, bots, and soldiers everywhere. Que was having fun weaving in and out and around all the obstacles. The smell of wreckage and scorched planet exited him. Leftover energy residue of hatred and murder filled the air and charged Que with power. 

He came to a small mountain town. Just at the very base tucked right up against the rock side. It reeked of fear. As he drove down the streets the few people that were out scattered as fast as they could. He needed to find the jewelry shop, or crystal shop, or whatever the hell they had here. He stopped and looked around. He felt an energy presence behind a wall of the building next to him. He held his hand out toward the wall and crushed his hand closed. A large portion of the wall crumbled and broke. Que released his hand and the rubble fell to the ground. He then raised his hand palm up in the air and focused his energy on the creature within. 

The Yazminian man was stunned. He found himself lifting off the floor and floating backwards. Que turned his hand so his palm was facing him. The creature turned so they were facing each other. “Where do you keep your crystals?” He said harshly. The Yazminian looked at him. It was obvious he had no idea what he was saying. Que thought about trying his translator, but knew it would do nothing. Being a hidden planet he knew there was no data on their language or customs. He brought the man closer to him, within arm’s reach. He held out his hand and touched the creature’s forehead. He closed his eyes and sent an image of a crystal to his mind.

The Yazminian nodded that he understood. Focusing his thoughts, he increased his energy. He caught a flash of a building, then a couple streets, then a plaza, then a small oval shaped building. That was it. Que removed his hand from the creature’s head. “Thank you for your help.” He said in sincerity. He then looked the thing in the eye’s and circled his middle finger and thumb around so they pointed at each other, then pointed his index finger straight out. As he did the Yazminian began to choke and wheeze. A sadistic smile came to Que’s face as the tall lengthy being slowly fell to the ground.

He got back on his hover bike and set off once again. Following the directions of the images in his head he found his destination with little trouble. He entered the abandoned shop and began looking around. These beings were tall. The glass looking cases and counters went up to his chest. It did however give him a better view of the merchandise. He held his hand out and walked very slowly in front of the displays. 

This should prove a very interesting challenge indeed. Given that he knows next to nothing about these crystals. What they looked like, if they are rough and jagged, or smooth, and round, if they are only one color or can they be found in different colors, what energy signature they are like, are all the mysteries he has been left to figure out. Que did know enough to know that he hadn’t been told because no one else knows either. No members of the council, not even his soon to be former master Darth Kifo knew what the hell he was looking for.

There was nothing here. At least as far as he could tell. However, Que decided to be smart. He grabbed an animal skin satchel and put one of each stone inside. He closed it up and tied it off on his utility belt. Exiting the store, he sat on his hover bike and checked his wrist comm. He hit a few buttons and a small image of a probe droid came up. It made a few sounds and relayed some information that listed in red letters. Que turned the comm off then back on, this time a different probe droid came up and did the same thing. Relaying its info to its master. Que once again turned off his comm then back on again. The third droid however did have something possibly useful. A mining settlement thirty Miles from his current position. 

Que yawned as if bored. Not much really goin on right now. Just a bunch of driving, and searching. His stomach growled, he needed to eat something. He was too far from his ship to go back at the moment, and he had no idea what they call food on this freakin planet, so he decided the next few locals he came across might serve as a filler. Using the dark force healing technique, he could siphon living energy from a living being. Like a vampire, he could use that energy to heal, or revitalize, himself, or nourish himself and stave of hunger, thirst, or sleep. 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

 

Aan woke in the medical bay of king Jazones palace. He looked around uneasy. Aul and Jazone were at his side.

Jazone. “Easy friend. You’ve been out a couple days.”

Aul looked at him, almost as if he were afraid he would be in trouble. “I know we were supposed to stay away from here but you were badly injured. I didn’t know where else to go.”

Jazone. “Do not be mad at the boy. He did the right thing. You would probably be dead right now if not for him.”

Aan. “No, your fine. Thank you. But now that I’m awake we must go.” He looked at Jazone. “You are all in great danger. There is a Sith here! And there’s something else. A new threat, I must speak to the council.”

Aan rose to his feet and began to dress. As he did he told Jazone about JayCee. No details, more so that he was a dark force user and not to be trusted, he was powerful and to be considered a great threat. He along with the Sith were the enemies.  
Jazone had prepared a ship for them. He figured these enemies would be waiting for them to leave in their ship from the core. They wouldn’t track a Yazminian vessel. This might help them escape easier. However, it was still a gamble, for all he knew whoever was bringing this carnage upon his people would destroy or commandeer the ship as it leaves orbit anyway.  
Either way it didn’t matter. Aan had to get off world no matter what. Jazone gave Aan a strong handshake then a hug, then turned and bowed to young padawan Aul. “Farewell my friends. May your journey be safe.” Jazone said as the ships main door opened and the landing ramp extended. Aan regarded his friend with the up most sincerity. “Farewell my friend. I will return, and I will bring help.”

A sadness came over Jazone’s eyes. “I hope my friend…We are still here when you return.” 

Aan and Aul boarded the ship and left. The ship was a mid-size cargo freighter. It had a four-person cockpit, crampt eating and sleeping quarters under the cockpit, then the rest was just a large cargo bay. Roughly fifty feet across by seventy feet long, and about twenty feet high. It was almost two months’ journey back home. The cargo bay would serve as a nice training area until the end of their trip. 

Standing in the middle of the cargo bay Aan stood tall and strong. Aul stood facing him. “You did well, my student. I had not anticipated any Sith involvement in what is going on here. We were both taken by surprise. However, you stood your ground and faced the challenge head on. I am extremely proud of you.”

Aul smiled. But it was short lived. Aan suddenly became very serious. “You have now had a taste of what lies ahead if you choose this path. You must train hard, fight fast, and spend your life in a sort of solitude. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you will be a shadow. Nothing more than a figment of the imagination. You can have no friends outside the Jedi order, you can never get married, or have a family. You must devote yourself entirely to the code of the Jedi. It will not be an easy path, and it will be very dangerous. If you wish to rethink your life’s choice. Now would be the time.”

Aul looked at his master sternly and said “I will not leave this path. I will devote myself fully to the ideal of peace and justice. I vow to use the force to help others, defend the weak, and fight for good.

Aan’s yellow saber suddenly sprang forth and slashed at Aul. In an instant Aul’s sword was drawn. His green clashed against the yellow. Aan came down with two overhead chopping strikes. “Death does not wait for you to be ready! Neither will your enemy!” Aan spoke loud and strong, but wasn’t yelling. He came at his pupil from the side, from the top, he would thrust and parry in time with Aul. He was going easy on him, not giving him more than he could handle, but pushing him to the limit at the same time. All the while speaking to him, coaching him.

“Don’t over think the motion. All you must consciously be aware of is what direction the attack is coming from. Let the force guide you from there.” Aan instructed.  
Aul was struggling to keep up with his master. Training was hard enough, but training and learning at the same time?! “It’s difficult! I can’t just…let go!” He said, his hands wobbling from the strength of Aan’s attacks. “Bantha fodder!” Aan returned. “You did it when you encountered the Sith, you did it when you saved the royal general and the royal guards. The problem is you think too much. With that Aan threw his left hand forward knocking Aul off his feet. He flew backward in the air slamming hard against the back wall. “In battle, you don’t have time to think. You have time only to react!” Aan leapt in the air towards Aul, sword over his head. Aul flinched and turned his head away but instinctively put his hands in front of him and flexed his muscles. Aan was thrown off balance and landed off to the side of him.

Realizing what he’d done he quickly sprang to his feet, sword ready. “Good! You are beginning to understand.” Aan threw his hand forward and tried once again to force push his young friend. Aul Hunched forward, planted his feet firmly on the ground and put his free hand forward and pushed back. The two strained against each other. “You are doing well, but remember to always keep the back sight of your focus on your surroundings.” As Aan said this he lifted his other hand and pulled a metal box off the floor behind Aul and sent it crashing toward him.

A flash! Almost like a burst of bright light in his mind. He force jumped high in the air. The crate flew underneath him. “Yes Aul! Good!” Aan was shouting. Aul could feel himself becoming stronger, the combination of adrenaline with force energy was electric! He landed on the ground sword drawn. He ran toward Aan. Their swords clashed as the future Jedi became suddenly aggressive! He hacked down from above his head, Aan blocked and moved to the side. Aul stepped in on the right side, Aan did the opposite, stepping out to his left. Aul attacked with great fervor, but he was still no match for the experienced Jedi knight. 

After another hour of intense battle Aan decided they had had enough for today. They showered and cleaned themselves, dressed in their meditation robes and met back in the main cargo bay. Aan lifted his hand and floated a couple metal boxes in front of them forming a table. They both sat crisscross on opposite sides. Aan pulled two white candles and some incense out of his robe and placed them standing on the table. As he lit them he spoke.

“Attuning to the force is more than just physical. Anybody anywhere can meditate and learn the will of the force, it is simply a matter of calming your mind. I know you are probably sick of these exercises; I know I was. But they really are that crucial. We will start by clearing our minds, and begin with focusing on radiant white light.”

Aul crossed his arms and spoke with a bored and slightly upset tone. “As I breathe in through my nose I imagine radiant sparkling blue and silver energy entering my body filling me with positive energy. As I exhale I imagine dispelling the negative energy as gold, being absorbed and transformed by the force. I know.”

Aan spoke without opening his eyes, or disturbing his breath. “Yes, but instead of envisioning, bringing images into your mind to learn mental control, you are going to focus on the physical aspect, and actually manifest the energy within you. To do this, you must first find the eye of your inner storm, the absolute center of your calm being. Then as the winds of the outer tornado of life, rules, expectations, fears, etc. try to invade your mind and sweep you away, you must use your physical energy to stay within your center…You will not succeed at first, but you will find that the more you train at this exercise the more physical strength you will gain with your ability to use the force.”

Aul closed his eyes and began to drift away.

The rest of the journey home was that way. From the time, they awoke to the time they went to sleep they were training. To break up the monotony Aan would give Aul the day off to play games or watch the holo projector, but then it was back to business. Aul was learning fast, which pleased Aan. Now that they had been paired together there was no way to separate himself from the boy until he became a knight himself. The unpleasing events on Yazmina had proven to be much more dangerous and complicated than originally thought. Aul would have to get tough, or die.

Approaching the deep core system Aan and Aul became more and more anxious to be home the closer they got. This was Aul’s first time away from his home. He hadn’t realized how much he missed Coruscant until he saw it coming into view before him. 

The ship docked on the Jedi campus, awaiting him was a group of robed figures. Aan and Aul exited the ship and approached the other Jedi. “The council requests your immediate presence Master Aan Thoni. We are here to escort you.” One of the knights said.

Aan folded his arms in his robes and nodded his head. Aul followed close behind his master. Unsure of what was going on. “Why would the council send an entire greeting party? We must be in big trouble.” Aul thought. They crossed into the large courtyard with the maddies Aan liked so much. He enjoyed their presence, happy that he could live to see them one more time.

At last they reached the top of the tower in which sat the Jedi council. Aan looked at Aul. “Stay out here. I’m not sure how this will go, but there is no need for you in there. There is nothing you can learn from this.”  
Aul nodded and sat on one of the luxuriously comfortable couches that decorated the large entry way.  
Aan adjusted his robe, then faced the entrance to the council chamber. The doors opened, he entered.

Master four. “Aan!” He said with excitement. “Welcome our friend. We are glad to see you alive!”

Master one. “We felt a great disturbance in the force. Centered in an unknown region of the galaxy and what we thought was a Sith! Or at least a dark Jedi.”

Master seven. “It had to have been a dark Jedi. The Sith are exctinct. But there was another. Tell me Ann, do you know who this mystery person is?”

Aan bowed his head in shame.

Master two. “Do you know the identity of this mystery person?” As he spoke he had a hint of sympathy for Aan. "Whatever had happened on Yazmina was obviously very intense." The Jedi master spoke with only pure interest.

Aan. “My masters, I have betrayed you. The boy’s name is JayCee. He is from Coruscant. He is a unique force sensitive with the ability to mind trick and influence anybody. When I was a padawan he influenced me to teach him the ways of the Jedi. He tricked a Sith padawan as well, now known as Darth Kifo, he taught him the ways of the dark side just as I taught him the ways of the light. He has somehow combined the teachings of both into what he called the ‘Sidi’. I have no idea what his plans are or why he was on that planet, when I engaged him it was against him and the dark Jedi. They are not working together. Kifo wants him dead too.”

Master six. “As you do?”

Aan. “No. Master. I do not want him dead.” He looked down and clenched his fists. “But I do want him to pay.”

Master one. “He is a threat. That much is clear. The two sides were never meant to be joined. If he uses the dark side, even just a little, it will eventually over take him.”

Master four. “If he were somehow successful then we would have two enemies at our gate.” He leaned forward in his seat and sighed heavily. “We cannot let that happen. We cannot take that chance.”

Master three approached Aan and held his hand out. “May I?” He asked.

Aan nodded his head. The third master of the Jedi council placed his hand gently on Aan's head. They both closed their eyes. The master was hit with flashes and images. The entire story of what happened on Yazmina unfolded for him in seconds. The master took a deep breath and removed his hand from Aan’s head.

The third master addressed the rest of the council. “This boy is very strong indeed! Basically, a self-taught force user, yet he won a battle against a Sith and Jedi at the same time! It would seem your padawan is doing very well also. Had we known of the intensity of the situation we would never have sent him with you.”

Aan. “He is very strong. I am proud to have him with me.”

Master Three. “Aan. Take what you need. Our entire order is at your disposal. Go back to this, Yazmina, help king Jazone, find out why this is happening to them, keep us updated.”

Aan bowed his head. “Thank you my master. I will not fail you.”

As Aan turned to leave the third master spoke once more. “Oh. If you happen to be able to take this Sidi into custody…” He looked at the rest of the council, then back to Aan. “We would very much like to meet him. We are intrigued by this new player in the game and we would like to know more.” He then became suddenly serious. “Do what you must though, to eliminate the threat.” 

Aan bowed once more. “I understand master.” With that Aan took his leave. Rejoined by his padawan they began to prepare for battle. Aan took Aul to the main communications room where he had the technicians send out a Jedi wide alert. He was looking for volunteers to help him in his mission.  
They then went to the main locker room. They showered and refreshed themselves, then went to the commissary for something to eat. As they sat at their table, every single Jedi that passed by offered their help to Aan. Every single person they saw pledged themselves to aid them in any way they needed.

Aul was filled with such intense emotion that he had to leave the table for a moment. He was filled with such love, and joy, and gratitude that he was part of such a huge family. None of them even knew what was going on. For all they knew they were headed straight into the mouth of hell with nothing to defend themselves. But they didn’t care. One of their own needed help. That’s all that mattered.

Within days they were once again ready to depart. Aan had recruited the help of four other knights. Between himself, his fellow knights and four padawans, that made nine of them altogether. They boarded the massive Jedi deep space transport and headed off for the stars. 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

 

JayCee wandered through the grasslands for what seemed like an eternity. The only thing on his mind was Hekk. His hate emanated so strongly that the grass died around him, flowers and small plants wilted and dwindled. He wanted to kill Hekk. More than anything, all he wanted to do was turn back and finish him off. He knew that by letting him live he was only prolonging this story between them. “The smart thing would be to finish this now. Regardless of how I feel it is simple logic!” He thought to himself. He was exhausted. He could barely stand, let alone walk, yet still he persisted forward. “If you kill him now, you will fall to the dark side. It is the one thing left to do before you are truly a master.” 

As much as he consciously wanted to go back, his inner voice would not let him. He tried to turn around but couldn’t. The more he tried the more he felt a weight pushing him back. He screamed then fell to his knees, closing his eye’s he fell flat down on his face. 

He found himself falling into nothing. Black, then white, then black, then white. He was weightless, floating, but falling. Finally, he landed on what seemed like hard surface though there was no floor beneath him.  
A large black hooded head rose in front of him. When the hood was pulled back it was Hekk. The image of his head easily ten times larger than JayCee. He drew his light saber and took a defensive stance.

Hekk’s face laughed. “What are you going to do with that? You can’t kill me. I am your path to the dark side of the force.” Came a loud booming voice.

JayCee stood his ground. “I will find a way to defeat you!” He yelled back. The face laughed again. “You have great control over your anger… BUT NOT THAT GREAT!!!! If you destroy me then you fall to the dark side, if you let me live I will find you and destroy you.” Hekk’s image returned.

JayCee. “I’m not talking about Hekk Taur. I’m talking about you! The personifications of my anger and fear. Just because I subconsciously chose his image to represent you doesn’t make you so.”

Hekk’s image. “Even so. That does not change the truth of what I said.”

JayCee. “Anger can be controlled. It’s simply a matter of finding the counterbalance of good to keep you tethered to yourself.”

Hekk’s image. “Like what?” He demanded. “You have more of the dark power within you than you realize. You left your family. The ones who gave you life, you just walked away and abandoned them. What about the man you chose not to save from the bookies?” The face suddenly looked down, as if remembering something. A sinister twist of a smile appeared on the apparition’s face. “What about the boy from Naboo.”

JayCee’s face turned white. 

Hekk’s image. “That’s right. Nobody but you know what you did. What you allowed to happen. You befriended a boy and gained his trust only so you could lead him to slaughter. Sure, it was to stop a war, but a Jedi would never have allowed something like that to take place. I AM THE DARK SIDE OF YOU!! WE ARE ONE AND THE SAME!!!! You can deny me, run from me, and try to force me out all you want. I will always be here. No matter how many good deeds you do, no matter how many lives you save, your past actions will always define you.”

JayCee was in tears. He had fallen to his knees and hunched himself over.

Hekk’s image. “Come with me. Become who you were meant to be.”

JayCee exploded. His rage had reached its boiling point and could no longer be contained. He leapt to his feet. Arms and legs stretched out he let out a powerful yell. His eyes were full red and yellow.  
He stood, breathing heavily. The face of what used to be JayCee was now a twisted mockery of his former self. The glow of his blade changed from orange to red, his gray robes now black. 

Hekk’s image. “Goooood. I can feel your hate. Your anger. It makes you powerful. Gives you focus, and determination.”

JayCee felt himself charged with energy. Electricity coursed through his veins. 

Hekk’s image. “You know now what you must do. Eliminate your allies. Leave no trace of your former self.”

A flash of Tosh went through his mind. “Eliminate, Eliminate, Eliminate…Those from your past.” These words ran through his mind like a broken record.

“Yes! Yes!” He thought to himself. “The ones who made me weak, the ones who held me back! They must all be destroyed!”

Hekk’s image. “Yes!!!! Everyone you love must be removed.”

JayCee. “Yes. Everyone, wait what?” He suddenly looked confused “Love?” He looked up sharply. Flashes and images of Tosh came to his mind. He was suddenly reminded of feelings of happiness, joy, friendship, and…Love!!!!!!  
He closed his eyes and forced the hatred back. “Neither side is completely right.” Hekk’s image began to look concerned. “Sentient beings would not have been given all these emotions if we were not capable of expressing and controlling them.”  
JayCee opened his eyes. His black robes were once again gray, his sword faded back to orange. The red around the outside of his eyes began to turn white again. However, his retinas retained their ominous yellow glow. JayCee regarded his subconscious enemy. “You will never gain full control over me! You have failed. You are a part of me! You will follow my lead!!”

Hekk’s giant image began to laugh. JayCee held out his hand and forced his enemies mouth closed. He began to walk forward. “You are under my control. You are my emotion, and therefore merely a shadow of who I truly am.” Hekk’s image began to fade and shrink as JayCee spoke. Slowly shriveling into nothing. 

JayCee now stood alone in blackness. He tried to take account of the situation. Was he awake? This seemed entirely to real to not be. “However, there is nothing sensible going on that would suggest to me in any way that I am in reality.” He thought.

A spec. off in the distance. Amid the black shone a tiny spec of white. Way off in the distance. It grew a little larger, then larger still. JayCee was confused. He couldn’t tell if the light was far away and getting larger as it got closer, or if it was almost next to him and was simply growing. 

“JayyyCeeee” A soft voice, almost a whisper called to him. “You have done well JayCee.” Came the voice as the ball of light now began to consume him.  
All the darkness, all the black was now replaced by miraculous light. A brilliant white that should have been hard to look at was soft on the eye’s. Soothing and comfortable. “You have controlled your anger, learned to push it back. Though you have made mistakes in the past, we can now move forward.” The light revealed itself as the image of Tosh. However instead of her usual reddish, pinkish color, she was a glowing white. “Leave your anger behind you and come with me.”

JayCee was in a daze. As if under a spell. The light was so soothing, Tosh’s voice so gentle in his ears. He reached out and grabbed her hand. 

Tosh’s image. “Isn’t this better? Here there is no pain, only love, no sorrow, only joy.”

JayCee spoke in a calm childlike voice. “But if I go with you I can’t be with her.”

Tosh’s image. “Who?”

JayCee. “You. The real you, the person your personified after.”

Tosh’s image. “With me you will need no other.” She touched her hand to his face. “If she is not around, you can never be hurt, never be abandoned, she can never be used against you as a pawn or weapon. To serve the good, you must have no attachments.”

JayCee snapped his head to the side as if snapping out of a trance. “How can that be? When you, I mean Tosh is my joy. She is the good in me.”

Tosh’s image. “Was it for her that you saved that freighter of refugees from Mandalore? Was she the one who gave who the strength to free an entire planet of slaves? Was it Tosh that inspired you to hijack that transport of food supplies from the Panavans and deliver it to the starving populations of the wild space regions? No! It was you. It was me. Together we can find the ultimate power of good.”

JayCee felt himself begin to change. Tosh’s image was right. He was doing deeds of good, inspired by love before she came along. His robes and sword began to change to brown, and blue. He looked down as if deep in concentration. Then to the side, then back again. He snapped his head forward and looked the apparition straight in the eye’s.

“No.” He said flatly. “Yes, I did those things before Tosh. But she enhances those things within me. She is the reason I fight now. I care for her. You are the same as Hekk. You follow too blindly the rigid restrictions of the one side. He refuses to feel love, you refuse to feel hate, yet you both believe that solitude and blind obedience to your code will somehow fill the void. You are afraid to feel beyond what you think you can control. I will say the same to you as I did to Hekk. You are part of me! You will follow my lead!”

As he said this, Tosh’s image got a kind of sad defeated look on her face as she backed away and slowly disappeared. The white became marred with black, dark gray, and red. The colors swirled around him like a mist being blown in a circle like a twister. It came up around him. It engulfed him, blocking the view to the outside. When the swirling mist finally subsided JayCee found, himself standing before a great maze. 

He looked around and yelled into the nothing. “What is this!? What am I supposed to find here?”

A bodiless voice echoed in Tosh’s soothing whisper. “This is the way. If what you seek is truly possible, you will find its secret within.”

The labyrinth was vast and dark. Black stone walled the outside of the giant square. Burnt remnants of tree’s slumped sporadically around the perimeter. The ground was lifeless sand, dry and coarse. Yet above was a clear blue sky, warm temperature, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard in the distance. 

JayCee suddenly realized what this was. His mind. A jumbled mess of light and dark. JayCee needed to find the key to organizing the chaos within him. Only then could he return as a true master of himself. 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

 

Lare led Tosh through the back passes in the mountain the best she could. Her wounds were deep; it was all A.O.N. could do to reduce the bleeding. It took a little time but they made it back to Tosh’s ship. Thankfully it was still in one piece. They got Lare to the medical bay and fastened her down. They secured all the equipment and A.O.N., at the command of the ships medical computer and assistant components began to operate. 

Tosh in the meantime had raced to the ships command bridge and began priming the engines. She flipped on the radars and scanners and tried to pick up any life signs in the area. Aside from massive animal migrations away from the battles there was nothing. They were in the countryside far from civilization were the real fight was raging. “Picking up JayCee should be easy.” She thought to herself. Then laughed. “Why kid myself. This is going to be tough.”

She fastened herself into the main command chair and lifted off the ground. She flew slow and low. She didn’t want to attract attention to herself, and she wanted to be able to see the ground to help her search for JayCee. 

Even though they were so far removed, Tosh could see a few crashed fighters, and transport ships scattered here and there. Wreckage and bodies in clusters where small squirmishes had taken place. Why was this happening? She wondered. What did these people do to deserve this?

Tosh closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had a connection with JayCee, he had taught her a few things about the force. Mostly her knowledge consisted of small bits JayCee would reveal in explanations of certain things and what not. But she knew enough to know that anybody can use the force to some extent. She had to try.

She focused her thoughts on JayCee. Pictured his face, remembered what his energy felt like, the way he smelled, everything to the last detail. She pictured herself finding him. She imagined him sitting next to her as they traveled away from this damned planet. She opened her eyes but kept her focus. 

After what felt like forever she finally picked up a life reading. She didn’t get her hopes up at first. For all she knew it was one of the others. As her ship approached she knew it was him. She couldn’t physically feel his presence like a force adept can, but she had her own set of feelings and she just knew it was him.

He was unconscious. Sweating profusely but cold to the touch. Tosh got him on the ship and laid him on one of the beds in the main quarters. His body would twist and convulse at random times. His arms and legs would twitch and flail, sharp moans and grunts came from his diaphragm. A.O.N. was too busy with Lare to look at him right now. She covered him up and kissed him on the lips. As she left the room she looked back on him with concern, she hoped he would be alright.

Returning to the command chair on the bridge she looked out into the open space before her. Where were, they going? What were they doing? She knew they were looking for the Yazminian captures, But where? How? She wondered what JayCee would do. A vision of burning buildings, and a trail of destruction came to her mind. She chuckled a little. 

The first thing JayCee would do is locate the underground mercenary factions with the most recent movement. Then through a process of violence and questioning he would single out the ones with involvement in that section of space, then take them out one by one until he came to the core. The mastermind behind it all.

She would start with the Hutt’s. She had somewhat of a reputation with them. If she posed like she was looking for work she might be able to get some info. She set a course for the Hutt system into her navi - computer and went to get some much-needed rest. 

Sometime later she was awoken by A.O.N... The droid poked at her with one of its extending operating arms. “Lare is stable.” It said. She must rest for a while before we can put her in the hyperbaric chamber. She’s in good condition though. She should make a fast recovery. The physiology of these people is fascinating. They bear a strikingly close resemblance to the people of Kamino.”

“That’s interesting.” Tosh said half awake. A beeping sound went off on a little box clipped to her waist. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and headed for the bridge.

Once there she flipped on the radar scanner readouts. Something in the distance. A large ship of some kind. Tosh typed on the keyboard in front of her and brought up more readings to each side. Type A-F Class destroyer. Manufactured on Mandalore, a planet also known for being a home to mercenaries. Tosh cut back to sub light engines and drifted off at an angle. She didn’t need to go to the Hutt’s, or spend any time searching. She could just tag along behind this one.

The next few hours were spent with her at the manual controls. Stealth like this requires more finesse than a computer is capable of. It is very delicate work following an object equipped with radar scanners, bio readers, electrical transmitter arrays, etc. There isn’t always a star to hide behind, or a meteor to shadow bounce off. Tosh cut all power to every part of the ship except for the medical bay, and impulse engines. From all outward appearances, they were nothing more than a floating rock in space. She followed their flight trajectory and energy traces left behind from the massive engines, but stayed as far behind as possible. She didn’t need to locate them exactly, just the general area. She was sure JayCee would take it from there.

She wondered how he was doing. It had been a full day now and he was still unconscious. A.O.N. said there’s nothing medically wrong with him. Whatever it is it has something to do with the force. His encounter with those strange two. One in black, a Sith. The other in brown, a Jedi. Who were they? Why were the three all fighting each other? Tosh looked out into space. “A strange planet that no one knows exists. The annihilation of its strange inhabitants, a Sith and a Jedi both attacking JayCee, JayCee in a coma, Strange abductions to a far off unknown place, for unknown possibly horrible reasons. How much weirder… or worse can this get.”

 

JayCee wondered through the corridors of the maze. If he was on the right path everything was fine. It was when he met a dead end that he also met with a confrontation. 

One was him as a boy. He felt the fear of being overpowered by the thoughts of others. The boy had spoken to him. Asked who he was. JayCee responded, but the boy just laughed. 

“How can you be that? You can’t be both! That’s stupid!” The boy said. “Just because you use parts of both sides does not mean you are both sides.” The boy leapt forward towards JayCee and vanished in a cloud of mist just before hitting him. 

Another was a memory of Mirashaal. She was crying. When she spoke to him she said he had deserted her. Having never come back, he left her alone and vulnerable. JayCee tried to explain what happened but she shrugged him off. “You say it was hate of Hekk and what you wanted to do to him that you sent me away. But it was also love of me that you never came back. Which is it. Are you motivated by hate, or love?” She said. “You have to find the counterbalance that tethers you from going too far.” As she said this she disappeared.

JayCee had no sense of time here. For all he knew weeks, even months had passed in the outside world. “Why do your thoughts dwell on what is happening out there?” A voice whispered in his head. In his thoughts, he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and ran into another dead end. This time a vision of himself appeared. This figure didn’t talk. Not out loud. “You must focus on what is going on with you, now, here. Why do your thoughts stray?” JayCee said nothing, he just looked at his mirror self. The image looked up and laughed. “Why do you care what happens to her. You are part Sith remember? You are better off alone.” The image began to turn to mist and dissolve. As it faded away it left JayCee with these words. “Remember your lessons about attachment…….”

JayCee was in a state of confusion. He continued forward, thinking about each conversation. He almost wanted to intentionally run into dead ends just so they would continue. He realized they were not confrontations at all but clues. The disorder and inner chaos was revealing itself. But how to put the jigsaw together! Down the way at the other end of the labyrinth he saw a yellow glow coming from a path to the right. To the left just opposite came a red glow. 

He walked cautiously toward them. His hand on his light saber he stepped between the paths where the combination of yellow and red light mixed into orange. He was stuck. He tried to move his feet but they wouldn’t budge. An image of JayCee in brown robes with a Jedi blade in his hands appeared in the yellow light. An Image of JayCee in black robes with a Sith blade appeared in the red light.

 

A deep space outpost came up on Tosh’s screen. “Time to hit the brakes.” She said out loud to herself. Reducing her thrust she hugged close to a nearby star and landed. Turning off all power in the bridge except for the scanners she watched the A-F’s movement. 

It approached the outpost then disappeared. It went right off her screen. “What the hell?” She said sitting up in her seat. A beep came from the comlink in her chair. A small image of A.O.N. came from the arm rest. “I took the liberty of preparing some food. You haven’t eaten in a while. You need your strength.”

“Yes mother.” Came an irritated response from Tosh. She checked her readouts one more time and left the bridge.  
Sitting at the table by the kitchen area Tosh more played with her food than ate it. A.O.N. scolded Tosh and pushed her food closer to her. As Tosh ate she thought about what to do. They would need time. Time for JayCee to come back, time for Lare to heal, Time for an army to arrive (As if). Right now, the main goal is accomplished. They have successfully located the Yazminian prisoner camp. They shouldn’t be picked up by radar… for the moment they were safe. 

“Why did the scanner go out just as the ship entered close range to that outpost. Radar jammers. But why? This far out why conceal yourself that much. It’s overkill. Something very bad is happening here. I don’t like it.” Tosh thought to herself.

 

 

 

JayCee drew his sword and prepared himself. The two stepped forward. “Why do you deny us?” They both said in unison. “If you cannot choose, then you cannot become who you were meant to be. If you cannot become who you were meant to be there is no reason to allow you to leave.” They lifted their swords and attacked. JayCee was knocked off his feet. Released from the light he crashed to the ground. As he stood the walls of the maze lifted and were swept away leaving nothing. A blank mass that extended forever. 

JayCee regained his footing and moved forward, the dance had begun. He would bring his sword straight up in front of him blocking the Jedi’s attack, then bend forward and swing to the left evading the Sith’s attack. He brought his sword tip down behind his back then around to his left side. He gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and brought it down against the Jedi’s sword. Running along its length he swung off its tip and slashed through the Siths mid-section. A clean cut. Then spun on his left heal bringing his sword tip down around him blocking the Jedi’s attack then with a backhanded motion ran his sword through the Jedi’s face.

JayCee turned to walk away when he heard the two picking themselves up. “Of course, this is going to happen. It’s not like I’m in reality or something. How sad is this, fighting myself in order to free myself. because I apparently want to trap myself in this torment forever!” He thought to himself as he returned to the battle. This was different than fighting Hekk and Aan though. In that fight it was all against all. In this fight, not only are both adversaries after him, but they know everything about him. His fighting style, sword technique, weaknesses, everything. And they used that knowledge. Exploiting every opportunity to catch him. 

Several times JayCee was sent reeling with wounds that should have killed him. He suddenly looked up. They were all parts of his psyche. Even him! He represented the neutral side of him. He couldn’t kill them; they couldn’t kill him. So, what was this? He was doomed to spend the rest of his existence in an eternal battle against himself? 

He didn’t have time for this! Tosh was in trouble; she was waiting for him! He needed this to be over so he could go to her. He regained his focus and attacked with a new-found fervor. The Jedi attacked straight on. The Sith at an upward angle from the left. JayCee used his force skills to enhance his perception of events. Their movements slowed to an almost crawling pace. He watched as their swords came closer. He timed his motion.

At just the right moment he bent his back backward and twisted slightly to the right. He avoided both swords then recovered quickly. He lifted his hand and the Sith raised high in the air. With his sword hand, he deflected the Jedi’s attacks without even looking. He swung down, then up to the right, the two small downward slashes knocking the Jedi’s weapon away from him. Putting his sword away he lifted the Jedi in the air with the Sith.

“You are no concern of mine right now. I’m not even concerned with myself! I will continue this later but for now I…We must help Tosh! Lare and her kind are in grave danger. Let me wrestle with my demons on my time. Help me save them first!” 

The two stopped moving. Their bodies went limp. JayCee released his grip on them. They floated softly down towards him, then into him. He had once again absorbed the power of both sides of the force. However now with a clarity he never thought possible. 

“That’s it! That is the fundamental flaw of both the Jedi and the Sith. Attachment! Both sides teach that attachment is weakness. That it leads to the destruction of the self. That you mustn’t put innocent people in harm’s way just for being your friend.  
But that’s wrong. When you limit your attachment, you limit your emotional content. No matter how much you love yourself and your own desires, or no matter how much you love life, and freedom of others, you can never know true unyielding emotion until you have someone or something to be emotional about! Whether your close friends, your wife, or children. The point is that you have something to fight for!  
A Sith continues to fight for possessions and power, if he dies in his pursuits it doesn’t matter. The universe goes on.  
A Jedi continues to fight for others they have never met and will never know. If they die it doesn’t matter. The universe goes on.

However, if you fight for your children, even though they have nothing to do with your assignment, if you die the universe does end…For them. You can’t allow that to happen, so you fight with everything you have. Your skills become cleaner, your senses more attuned than ever before. You don’t enter situations hap hazardly, you follow through with actions to ensure the successful completion of your duties. Not for you, not for the general cause. But for them. 

A man becomes a father. He experiences ultimate love, and ultimate joy. His heart swells with love and admiration. He could never let his anger go to the point of hurting such a wonderful part of himself. With nothing more than the thought of his child he can keep his aggression at bay.  
However, if something were to happen to that child. Say it is kidnapped. That father, who knows the feeling of pure love will become dark and twisted. Love will become absent and only the burning rage will remain. Until the child is found. No one will survive, no one will be safe. That father will do whatever it takes, unto the end of all being, and sacrifice even the most righteous of people to attain his goal.

Once that child is found, all is right with the universe again. Having accomplished his goal of finding his child he can now let his love and comfort settle his anger and return to his natural state.

That was it. That is the secret to light and dark emotional control! He was ready. Tosh’s soothing voice rang in his ears once more. “You have done well. You have discovered the secret. Now you must hurry. Tosh and the others await you. Use your senses and find your way home.”

JayCee looked down and grumbled. Then looked up with an irritated impatient tone yelled out “Oh come on! Haven’t I done enough!? This is ridiculous! Let me outta here!!!!”

 

It had been three days. Between accelerated cellular regeneration with the help of A.O.N. and the hyperbaric healing chamber Lare was making a good recovery. Sixty percent healed, it wouldn’t be long before she was ready to go. All Tosh could do now was wait…

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

 

Another day passed. Tosh decided she could no longer do nothing. She was going to run a little recognizance. Sneak up on the outpost, gather Intel, that sort of thing. Shouldn’t be too hard, or dangerous. If she didn’t get caught.  
She headed down to her workshop. The lights came on automatically when she entered. Diagnostic machines and holographic readouts lit up. She walked over to her main console and typed something into the computer. The screen glowed green. She turned around facing the table that A.A.L.E.E.N.A. was laying on. She pulled the cover from her newest creation. She unscrewed a plate on the base of the droid’s neck and pressed a small button. The droid’s eyes lit up. Tosh put the cover back on and stood back.

“A.A.L.E.N.A.” She said. “Can you hear me?”

The droid sat up and turned its head. “Yes. I can hear you.” The robot had a soft if not still robotic sounding female voice. 

Tosh. “Do you know who I am?”

A.A.L.E.E.N.A. “You are Tosh. My creator. My mission is to protect you and follow your commands.”

Tosh. “Very good. Now let’s see how well your balance is configured…” She stepped forward a few steps and held out her hand. “Put your feet on the floor and stand.”

A.A.L.E.E.N.A. complied. Pivoting its body around then hopped off the table. It landed without a sound. Tosh had specially made the droids padded feet for stealth. What was the point of having a bodyguard if it couldn’t sneak up on people to rescue her? 

Tosh. “Very good. Now take a few steps forward.” A.A.L.E.E.N.A. complied. After a series of other fine motor skills tests Tosh decided she was satisfied. She had the droid accompany her out of the room. A.A.L.E.E.N.A. followed Tosh across the main hangar to where JayCee was still passed out. 

Tosh pointed to him and said. “Take an image scan of this person. This is JayCee. He is a friend. She leaned forward looking the droid in the eye’s. Do you understand. He…” She began talking slower. “Is on our side.”

You could tell even in the robot’s blank mechanical expression that A.A.L.E.E.N.A. was confused. It processed for a second then looked up quickly. “Ally.” It said.

Tosh. “Yes. Very good. Ally. You stay with him. Right now, your primary function is to protect JayCee.”

A.A.L.E.E.N.A. snapped to attention. “I understand. I must protect JayCee.”

With that Tosh exited the room. Once back on the bridge she ignited the engines and cautiously made way. She approached the strange outpost with the up most caution. She landed as far away as possible and brought the ship down just inside a large cave. 

She went back down to check on JayCee and Lare. “How is she?” Tosh asked standing in the medical bay looking at Lare through the glass of the Hyperbaric chamber. “She’s stable.” A.O.N. answered. “She still needs more time, but she will make a full recovery.” 

Tosh shook her head up and down then left to see about JayCee. He was in cold sweats and shaking lightly. He had stopped moaning though. That must be good. “I don’t know what’s going on with you but I hope you’re over it soon…We need you.” She thought to herself. “A.A.L.E.E.N.A.” She said snapping back into reality. “You understand your mission. Protect JayCee and the ship.”

“I understand.” The droid said. Tosh nodded her head then put on her atmospheric suit, got into her hover car and departed for the unknown outpost.

The massive outpost was definitely an old mining facility. It was skinny at the bottom, maybe two hundred miles’ square. It rose about ten stories before expanding outward about another one thousand feet from there and up another six stories or so. The outside was surrounded by what looked like metal brace frames giving it the look like it was still under construction (Though it wasn’t). Huge yellowish greenish lights surrounded the perimeter bathing the crater it was nestled in, in an eerie glow. “This place feels evil.” Tosh thought to herself as she approached the outer atmospheric perimeter. Getting out of her transport she posted up on the rim of the crater. Using her spectral lenses, she cased the outside.

The large building was surrounded by landing pads, driving strips, and security walls. Every inch of the perimeter was covered in light. “This facility must have been used to harvest this rock. Now having depleted it resource the miners abandoned it in search of a new quarry. These guys found it and are now using it to imprison an entire race of people.” Tosh thought. Security garrisons patrolled the surrounding area. She would have to hide her vehicle and find some way to get in. 

It must be the oldest trick in the book. Seriously! It must have been the first thing written. Yet as old and obvious as it is it still works! Almost every time! Step one: Hide the vehicle. Step two: Single out a guard, knock him out. Step three: Put on his uniform. Step four: Blend in. 

And that’s exactly what she did. She hung on the tail of a patrol garrison and made her way across the field. From behind the visor on her helmet she could see a large area that looked like a loading zone. A massive merc freighter was landing. A line of transports was lined up to receive it. The doors of the ship opened and the soldiers began unloading what looked like Yazminians in a sort of stasis. Shackled and held in upright containers, they looked like they were in a daze. They were loaded on the transports and taken inside the massive building. 

Dozens of ships were landing and taking off. All four sides of the buildings base were busy with activity. Tosh noticed there was a lot of unloading, but no loading. Every ship left empty. Large trucks rolled by, smaller ships were coming and going, patrols were never ending. Each patrol unit was immediately followed by another. That was good news for her though. It would be easier to shift from one unit to another until she made her way to the interior. 

Patrols seemed to operate in opposite rotations. As her unit, would pass another she would stealth fully transition from one to another. If it’s one thing her father taught her growing up it was how to move like a shadow. In the smuggling business times arrive when you need to be invisible. It was a skill she had used many times before. And will use many times again. She made her way through the landing pad and finally inside the main doors. The base of the building was a huge warehouse. Loading pads were stationed around the floor lifting cargo crates to the upper floors and down into the ground. Being a mining facility Tosh was sure the ground was hollow. Riddled with caverns and hollowed out caves. In the center of the bay was the core. A huge eight-hundred-foot-wide pillar that housed the main drill probably. In the support columns were turbo lifts. The walls that held the doors in place were lined with scanners, readers, and data pads.

The unit she was with was trekking towards one of the large turbo lifts to the side. She followed them and they lifted into the main building above. The lift walls were clear. She could see everything that was going on around her. As the lift passed through the floor the next thing she saw made her throw up a little in her mouth. She had to close her eyes and swallow hard or she would be caught. 

Another large warehouse. In it were rows of Yazminians. All of them frozen in stasis chambers. There must have been thousands of them. Hundreds of rows hundreds of chambers long. Droids were everywhere. Monitoring their stasis, putting Yazminians in and out of chambers. Strapping them down and hauling them off out of view. Tears welled in Tosh’s eyes then traced down her cheeks. 

As she rose above that floor she found herself coming to a halt at what looked like living quarters. A huge room filled with droids, and sentient beings both in and out of uniform. She stepped off the lift with a pounding in her chest. She could be revealed here.  
Under normal circumstances she would probably be able to take off her helmet and blend in. But given the ominous scenario and the level of security she knew better than to be that stupid. She walked casually across the main room. People were playing games, watching the holotainment monitor, and talking. At the far side was a series of hallways. Tosh assumed they led to shower and bed areas. She made it to the other side and got in the closest turbo lift she could find. The symbols on the control pad were like nothing she had ever seen before. She didn’t know what button would take her where. She closed her eyes and pressed one at random.

The lift began to move down. She came back down through the main hangar. She looked out in the distance. She could see a group of Yazminians standing in a line. All shackled and facing forward. They were facing an execution squad. She saw the commander raise his hand, then slash it down. The squad members fired killing the prisoners. In every occupation or mass slavery collection you will have those that will find a way to resist. These freedom fighters were dealt with in the universal manner. Death. 

The lift dropped down to the lower levels underneath the outpost revealing a massive cavern straight down. Easily ten thousand miles deep. Right in front of her was the giant drill tip that was housed in the core above. It dropped down about one hundred feet. The massive cutting blades were set apart by almost fifteen feet. Tosh looked at the giant drill hole. The rivets created by the drill bit served as a spiraling walkway. The sides had been drilled into caves at certain points. Obviously hollowed out into rooms at the end of each entrance. 

The lift came to a stop and opened. Tosh looked around in wonder. “Okay. This is enough Intel I think.” Tosh nervously thought to herself. “This is not where I meant to be. I just wanted to look around. Now it’s time to leave.”  
The controls on the lift began to operate. Tosh realized someone was calling it from another floor. She needed to get off, quick. She rushed out of the lift just as the doors shut. “Well this is great.” She thought. “Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”  
For one thing, her helmet probably didn’t matter anymore. Besides that, it was too dark with her visor to see, and it was bulky around her head and shoulders. She kept it with her though, in case she needed it.  
She started slowly down the spiraling walkway. Cautiously approaching each cave entrance, she passed and quickly moving past it. Lights were on in some and off in others. A few of them had steel covers blocking them. She needed to do something. The longer she stayed out in the open like this the more her chances increase of capture. She slid against the wall and into the next cave entrance she came to. Like a ninja, she moved down the hall and into the large room hollowed out at the end. The room was full of metal boxes and crates. They were labeled, but in a language Tosh didn’t know. “It’s too bad A.O.N. isn’t here. She could decipher these.” She thought looking at the strange markings. There were two other steel doors blocking other passages in the room. One of them made a loud clacking sound as if unlocking then began to open.

Tosh jumped up on one of the larger crates and nimbly climbed up to the top of a stack next to her. She laid perfectly still on the crates and waited for whoever to enter. When the giant round cover had rolled completely to the side four sentinel droids were placed at each corner of these huge floating metal slabs and escorting them out of the other chamber. Screams were coming from beyond the door. Echoes of torment, and suffering. On the slabs under escort and glass casing, lay the twisted remains of Yazminian captives. Somewhere missing limbs, arms, legs, and heads. Others had their flesh stripped from their chests and abdomens and looked like they were hollowed out. 

Eyes, ears, and other miscellaneous pieces and parts carved out of their bodies. Tosh was washed over by a wave of fear and terror she didn’t think she was capable of feeling. Her body froze in place, too scared to move, her breath slowed and became shallower, out of fear of being heard. She was trembling, and crying. Closing her eye’s wanting this all to be a dream. She had to get out of there. She was beginning to suffocate. The walls began to close in on her. She was feeling very claustrophobic. 

She had to get out of here! Out of this room, out of this outpost. She wanted to be back on her ship, back with JayCee, where she knew she was safe. But how would she do that? She must be one Meter below the surface, in an unknown outpost apparently run by monsters, and patrolled all hours without stop. It would take her days, maybe weeks! All she did know at this point was she had to get out of that room!  
After the escort, had left she slowly climbed down from her hiding place. Still shaky, and moving very slowly. She stayed as close to the metal containers as she could. Once she reached the ground she slunked down and crept across the floor, acting more like a child trying to make it from his bed to the bathroom without getting caught by the boogie man. 

She once again found herself on the main walkway. She continued down the path to the next cave. She entered slowly, staying against the wall. She could hear sounds coming from the room at the end. Loud clanking sounds like metal slabs being dropped. She realized this must be where the escort went. It sounded like they were heading back this way. Tosh had think, fast! She took off her boots and gloves. One thing about the Mystic side of her, that she got from her mother was the ability to climb like a spider. Removing her gloves and boots she held them against her chest with one hand, then began climbing with the other. 

Once she was at the ceiling of the hallway, she dug her finger and toenails into the rock and waited. The escort came back through. The slabs now empty. There were three slabs, guarded by twelve sentinels total. Sentinel droids were very large heavy assault machines used in extreme combat. Tosh wondered why they were being used as guards. It seemed to be overkill. Yet everything about this place seemed heavy and off the normal balance. Once they had left Tosh dropped from the fifteen-foot ceiling and entered the room. It was a morgue! Hundreds of twisted, mutilated Yazminian bodies lay stacked on top of each other like a pile of meat trimmings and scraps left over from a holiday dinner. 

The smell and scene made Tosh throw up. Tears welled in her eyes, she dropped to her knees. Now too terrified to move, she was beginning to lose hope. Just then she heard an electro bar igniting. She turned snapped her head around and saw two sentinel droids, and a garrison of living soldiers. She had been caught. 

Now in shackles she was being taken back to the first room she came from. She tried to kick and fight and scream, but all for not. As they entered the chamber of screams Tosh almost passed out. She was placed on a cold metal table and restrained. 

A black robed figure approached her and pulled back its hood. Lord Kifo stood over Tosh. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over her body. Breathing in deep he let out his breath and spoke. “Tosh…You know JayCee! Interesting. Tell me, where is he now?”

Tosh struggled against her restraints but said nothing. Lord Kifo leaned in close to her. “Your bravery will not do you much good. Tell me where he is and I may only torture you a little before you die.” He looked her up and down. Her two-tone red and pink skin, her fiery red hair, she was the very definition of beautiful. Hekk felt a small amount of sorrow over what he was about to do to her. To ruin such beauty was almost sacrilege, even to him. But he just shrugged his shoulders, grabbed a laser scalpel and leaned in to get started.

His hand wouldn’t move. It was frozen in midair. He tried to pull his hand away but he could feel someone’s grip. A phantom hand grasping his wrist. He looked up as the lights faded a few shades.  
A gray robe. JayCee! Tosh’s heart almost exploded with love, and relief. Hekk had a bewildered look on his face. “How the hell is it that I didn’t sense you until just now.” He said in a flat tone. JayCee pulled the hood from his face and looked Hekk dead in the eye’s. There was something different about him. A strange calm was with him. His energy was immense, even stronger than their last encounter. Hekk caught butterflies in his stomach. A flash memory of their last battle. JayCee had not only absorbed his lightning, but had used the same attack to defeat him. And now this. It was an energy he had never encountered before. His eyes were different too, the retinas were yellow like a Siths yet his corneas were white like normal with black pupils.

“The Sidi holds many secrets you will never know…My old friend.” JayCee replied with a smirk on his face. Hekk grinned and set down the scalpel. His light saber floated from his belt to his hand and ignited. “Kind of funny, all these years hunting you down and now suddenly we seem to just keep bumping into each other.”

He ran forward, sword tip down behind him. He yelled as he ran. JayCee stood still, timing his movement. Hekk brought his blade around his right side in a swirling fanning motion. JayCee took a giant step back and leaned lightly to avoid the blade swing. He leaned forward and twisted his back to the right avoiding another strike. He bent forward and shuffled back, Hekk came at him with a sweep kick. JayCee hopped in the air over his leg then flipped high in the air landing across the room. 

“How’s that new leg of yours? They didn’t mess up and make it like an inch short, did they?” JayCee said in a playful mocking voice. Hekk was not amused. He scowled and ran again forward. This time his sword straight up in front of him. He feigned a forward strike then at the last second shunted back and threw his hand out in front of him. An electric pulse shot from his hand and wrapped itself around JayCee. His sword fell from his hand as he was paralyzed. Through the pain JayCee found himself calmed. He reached out with his hands and grabbed Hekk’s. He sent his own lightning through him. 

The Two were locked in each other’s grip. Hekk’s rage topped off. His energy turned red. It sparked and crackled like a sparkler. JayCee’s electricity faded. He welled up his energy deep within him and released a powerful shockwave that sent Hekk off his feet. Hekk slammed against the wall and fell to the ground. JayCee toppled in sections to the floor. He reached up with a shaky hand and released Tosh’s restraints. She leapt off the table and rushed toward JayCee. She was pulled back by the mid-section causing her arms and legs to fly out in front of her as she flew back against a stack of medium size boxes, toppling through them. 

JayCee leaving his robe on the floor shakily rose to his feet. Hekk as well had a little trouble standing up. Their swords ten feet away from either of them ran towards each other with a lust in their eyes. Hekk jabbed with his left hand. JayCee slipped slightly to the right avoiding the punch. Hekk came forward with a right cross, JayCee slipped to the left, Hekk came around with a left hook, and JayCee ducked in a U motion under Hekks fist. Hekk came forward with a front shin kick, JayCee put his weight on his left foot, turned his body to the right and kicked his foot out knocking Hekks out of the way. The force of the kick knocked Hekk of balance. JayCee with his right side facing Hekk snapped back with an elbow to the face. Hekk’s jaw shook from the force of the attack. JayCee stepped back with his right foot and shifted his body forward. He jabbed Hekk in the ribs, then stood straight. When Hekk leaned over from the pain he hit him in the other side of his jaw with a powerful downward punch sending Hekk to the ground. JayCee stepped forward with a left shin kick to Hekk’s mid-section. As his foot came forward Hekk leaned back and caught it. He stood fast and extended JayCee’s leg. Hekk shifted his weight forward and brought his elbow down on JayCee’s thigh forcing him to the ground. Still holding his foot, he grasped closer on his calf swung around in a wide circle picking JayCee up off the ground and sending him reeling and spinning through the air. 

JayCee landed hard on the ground. As he was picking himself up he saw Hekk drawing his hands back. He knew what was coming. He got to his feet just as the red crackling lightning flew from Hekks fingertips. JayCee kicked off the ground and flew missing the energy by only centimiles. He twisted in the air. Hekk stopped his flow of energy and redirected his aim at the wall where he sensed JayCee was going to land. He released another stream of energy and was correct in his aim but JayCee was too fast. It was like he hit the wall and bounced off like a rubber ball. His movements so fast Hekk could barely sense them. He drew his hand back one more time and aimed where he sensed JayCee would land. Once again, he released his evil sparking energy and once again was correct in his aim, however JayCee was like a shadow. He was here then gone in less than a second.

JayCee hit the ground in a forward roll just as Hekk’s lightning made contact. He sprang to his feet and landed. He half closed his eyes, slowed his breath, and focused energy into his mid-section. Drawing his hands together as if he were holding a ball he brought his hands back. Then opening his eyes as wide as he could he threw his hands forward sending out what looked like a solid shadow. A radiant ball of bright blue energy flew through the air. Traces of energy trailed behind it like a tail of shadow and mist. Hekk jumped out of the way, when the ball hit the wall it exploded sending a massive shockwave through the core of the giant meteor.

JayCee used his enhanced force speed to intercept Hekk. Running up on his side he jumped in the air in a flying kick. Hekk threw his hands out and used the force to knock JayCee off his path. JayCee recovered on his feet and snapped forward with a series of mid and high kicks with his right foot. The first kick was high to Hekk’s face. Hekk deflected the attack with his right hand. Knocking his foot down in front of him. JayCee pulled back and kicked to his mid-section. With his left hand Hekk used the same block. JayCee pulled his foot back and kicked up again at Hekks face. Hekk moved to left and guided JayCee’s foot to his shoulder. He was about to bring his hands down to crush his knee when JayCee leapt off his left foot and raised into the air. Turning to the side JayCee brought his free foot into Hekks ribs knocking him back to the ground. 

They stood once again and again reengaged in battle. JayCee Jabbed forward. Hekk circled in to the right and grabbing JayCee’s wrist and elbow flung him around, then twisted to the left under his arm. Locking it in place behind JayCee’s back he jabbed him a few times in the kidneys. JayCee yelped a few times in pain and he dropped down extending his arm. Then twisting in an opposite motion freed himself from the arm lock. Hekk still had hold of his wrist though. JayCee circled his hand in a counterclockwise motion and palm facing forward snapped his wrist down freeing it from Hekk’s grasp. Hekk came around to the left with an oblique strike for JayCee’s face. He made contact. Dazing JayCee for just a senton. Hekk attacked again with a jab cross jab cross hook uppercut combo that sent JayCee to the floor. 

JayCee flipped over to his back and using the force called the scalpel from the table. It ignited and stuck Hekk Taur in the back. Hekk arched backward and yelled in pain. As he did this JayCee from the ground lifted his leg high in the air and delivered a massive blow to the chest. Hekk flailed backward to the ground. JayCee walked backward but kept his attention on his enemy. He held out his hand, his light saber flew from the ground to him. He ignited it and ran forward. Just a he was bringing his sword down from high above his head, at the very last possible moment before contact, Hekk disappeared. 

Gone. Just like that. Apparently, he had become a true master of the Burst of Speed technique. To move so fast you don’t register to any sort of device. Living or robotic. To truly disappear at will. JayCee steadied himself. He tried to sense him out. 

The ground began to rumble a little. In a flash JayCee’s saber was knocked from his hand. He was hit in the face from several different angles seemingly at the same time. Only a brief flash of energy just before hand but the attacks were coming from so many angles and so fast JayCee couldn’t tell what energy signal preceded which attack. Soot began to fall from the ceiling. Blood splattered across the wall from JayCee’s face. He was losing himself fast. At random intervals Hekk would back off for literally a few sentons then come back with a barrage of attacks. 

The next time Hekk backed off for a senton JayCee used that time to muster what strength he could to charge his body with Sith electricity. The next time Hekk made contact he let the energy flow. Hekk was paralyzed by the current and JayCee attacked. He unleashed a fury of hellish punches all centered at the face and ribs. Jab, jab, cross, hook, uppercut, jab, cross, jab, hook, thrust kick, kick to the mid-section, then came in for a shin kick. Hekk blocked the kick with his new metal leg sending a shockwave of pain through JayCee. Hekk grabbed JayCee’s clothes in front of his shoulders and pulled him forward for a head butt. His horns cracked against JayCee’s forehead, then again. Hekk then flung him to the floor. He reached out with his hands and called both light sabers to him. One on each side glowing, he stopped and looked at his sword, then threw it to the ground. “No.” He said. "I’m going to kill you with your own weapon.” He began walking toward JayCee swinging the blade in a figure eight pattern switching the hilt from hand to hand.

The ground suddenly shook violently. Rubble fell from the hole that was blasted into the side of the cave by JayCee’s energy bolt. It caused damage to the interior structure of that section of caves. The ceiling was collapsing. Cracks were running down the walls. In only moments, this room would no longer exist. Hekk looked around him and knew he didn’t have enough time. While Hekk was distracted JayCee used Burst of Speed to get to Tosh and get them out of there, Calling his saber from Hekk’s hand at the last senton. Hekk was trapped behind a pile of rubble. It would take him long enough to get out that JayCee should be able to get safely away. JayCee put Tosh’s helmet back on her head. She was still in a daze and a little light headed. They rushed out into the crowd that had gathered in response to the cave in. An alert was sounding, a commotion had started. JayCee could use his power to influence people to create a force field around him so that anybody within ten feet of him was completely blind to his existence. Allowing him to move through large crowds unnoticed.

The droids on the other hand were still a problem. He was strong enough with the force that he could influence any living being, but not droids. As a solution to that JayCee took Tosh’s hand restraints from her belt and put them on, then told Tosh to lead as if he were a prisoner. With their guise in place they made their way around the spiral walkway to the nearest turbo lift and forced their way on. Getting off at the ground level they found themselves back in the main warehouse. They made their way back across the field to the edge of the crater. JayCee stopped at a perimeter check point and took an atmospheric suit and put it on. Tosh shot the guards at the gate and took the keys to their speeder. They passed through the atmosphere barrier and made their way back to the “Starkiller”. 

“I can’t believe you’re here! How did you find me!?” Tosh said with excitement as they raced for the ship. JayCee just looked at her with sarcastic are you kidding me look on his face. Realizing the absurdity of what she just asked she focused her eye’s forward. Back aboard the ship Lare was up and walking around. Not knowing what was going on as Tosh and JayCee screamed passed her and into the cockpit. They lifted off the ground, “Head back toward the outpost. Arm every weapon you’ve got. Were gonna destroy that place.”

“We can’t!” Tosh said. “There are thousands of innocent captives! We have to come back and rescue them!” 

JayCee. “Unfortunate casualties. The dark side is all over this. By the time, we get back this will be gone.”

Tosh. “How’s that. How can they hide something that big?” 

JayCee. “Do not underestimate the power of the force. Especially when it comes to the combined powers of the entire Sith council.” He looked Tosh in the eye’s. “I don’t want to kill them either, but you saw what was happening to them. Trust me, this is the more merciful way.” 

Tosh nodded her head and armed the weapons system. They came around the pass. Tosh redirected and came into an attack position. JayCee with his eye’s closed told her where to aim for the main reactor core. Tosh’s finger on the trigger, she awaited JayCee’s word. “Now!” He yelled. Tosh fired everything she had. Long range missiles, ground Repulsor grenades, a chain of laser turret fire from both sides of the ship battered against the main reactor core in the center of the building. Sparks and flames burst from each side of the buildings base. People were running and screaming as they burned inside the generated atmosphere. The inside of the building was in flames. Large sections of the upper levels began crumbling off the side. The atmosphere barrier had shut off. those without suits on exploded from the pressure. The cave system underneath was collapsing. Though not in the usual way. Instead of breaking apart and falling inward on itself, since there was no natural atmosphere on this meteor there could be no gravity. As the core of the giant space rock shook and destroyed itself all the pieces floated up instead.

JayCee and Tosh looked on from a distance. The outpost had been destroyed. The threat to Yazmina neutralized. “And so is the end of Lord Kifo.” JayCee thought as Tosh plotted a new course. JayCee and them would have to go into hiding now. Whatever this operation was it was big. It was not only Kifo that was in on it. It was his entire Sith organization. They would be looking for the ones who did this.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

 

It had been six months now. Aan, Aul, and the other Jedi had a small outpost in the Ontori forest. In the outer region of Mometta. The capitol city, and home to King Jazone. The kidnappings and outer world sieges have suddenly stopped. Aan had a feeling in his gut. He could tell JayCee and Hekk were somehow involved. Though that chapter was over King Jazone still had a war to fight. A war for the freedom of his own people from the very hierarchy they serve. The four entities of their creator god. 

They have shone themselves to be more greedy, power-hungry mongrels than servants of an ever-loving being. The Jedi’s mandate had changed from protection, to assistance in their liberation. 

At the moment, Jedi knights Aan Thoni, and Jarge Kuthbar were supervising a training exercise with the padawans. Jarge’s student Zek was neck and neck with Aan’s padawan Aul Exx. Though Zek was older and a little more experienced Aul had him on the ropes for the record time on the obstacle course. They climbed up large rocks dodging laser fire from tree mounted turrets. They ran along thin beams twenty feet in the air using their light sabers to deflect fire, then had to jump off a two-hundred-foot cliff into the frozen green water and swim one hundred miles to a floating dock. From there they had to complete a puzzle before time ran out. If it did a small detonator charge would explode sending the padawan off into the water with light to moderate damage. From there they had to find the underwater passage and make their way up through the caverns which were riddled with traps and sensors. If the padawan failed any one of these challenges they would have to start that whole section of training over again. 

Aul seemed to excel. He was taller, stronger, and faster every day. Aan and the others had noticed too that he seemed to grow at an accelerated rate. He was twelve when he was placed in Aan’s charge, now less than a year later instead of looking twelve about to turn thirteen he looked fourteen about to turn fifteen. He learned at a faster rate too. He had already absorbed two years of information, and curriculum in six months. Truly, Aan knew he would become very strong, very fast. It would seem that at the onset of puberty hormones were causing his body to accelerate physical growth. 

The next day was saber training. All day. Learning the Soresu technique already. The day after that was studies. He still had advanced math, logic and reasoning, and geography lessons he hadn’t finished.

 

 

 

King Jazone stood in his throne room looking over the ocean. His niece was still gone. He had to assume she had either been taken or killed. He grieved. Aside from him she was the last of their bloodline. If he died she would have taken the throne. Not much like it mattered. A puppet was all he was. The elder four were tightening their grip. Ever since what is now being called the “Outer world attack.” they have enforced martial law. Everybody is subject to random searches. Homes and businesses raided for no reason. Many were taken away as spies or traitors. A sun down curfew, etc.

Yazmina lived in a state of fear. Only when the four were gone could true healing and prosperity begin. Jazone believed this now. For some reason the attacks had stopped. He wondered if it was over, or was there yet more to come? Heavy were the thoughts on his mind. His Jedi friends were a great help. They allowed certain occurrences to take place. Attacks on certain areas that would wound the Essences forces. Attacks on public transmitter stations that spread their gospel. Attacks on food storages to give to the hungry, raids on clothing suppliers, for the needy, and other similar things. While opposing them from the other side to keep up appearances. 

Jazone made sure that investigations ran cold, and what little evidence there was, was eradicated. Every trace of their presence was concealed. The time would soon come to strike. Now almost fully recovered from the Outer world attacks his forces would soon be strong enough. 

The attack would take place at one of the many festivals in honor of Alderia held throughout the year. The Essences never show themselves physically, rather they are represented by Holo cam. However, security is usually focused on the crowds for control, and to scout would be terrorists that would try to disrupt the events.  
The next festival is the remembrance of the Day of Silence. When all Yazmina pay tribute to Alderia for sending the Essences to liberate the planet, and to the Essences themselves for accepting the challenge. The day is spent in meditation and prayer. All living beings including guards are required to observe this holiest of days. Security would be at its lowest level of the entire year. It was the perfect time to strike. However, that day doesn’t come for another seven months.  
Until then Jazone would have to bide his time, gather his forces, and lay in wait.

 

Que Den was upset. He pulled his light saber from the torso of a falling Yazminian woman. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.” He said looking at some dirt on his hand. Why was this so hard! “You would think using the force to find a stone that amplifies the force would be relatively easy.” He thought to himself. But no. It was proving to be the most tedious, fruitless venture of his life. 

“I should be out there.” He looked up at the night sky. “Tracking down Lord Kifo’s killer and avenge my master. But the council was very clear the last time he spoke with them. I am not to come back to Korivaar without those stones.” So here he was. Trekking this enormous planet in search of something he cannot find. It was driving him mad. He stepped over the bodies of the rest of the farmhouse family. Mom, dad, little brother one, little brother two, then out onto the porch. He looked over the field of crops and wondered what sort of food or resource was this?

He didn’t have time to wonder too much. He must continue his search. He continued north, His feelings told him he would find something there. He mounted his hover bike and sped off. 

 

Aul Exx was positioned on a cliff side. A supply train was headed his way. The strange glow of the atmosphere gave a strange light to the night sky. So weird he thought, to have a planet with no moon. The stars were bright enough to provide a little light, but still so strange. He missed his home, he was enjoying his time here but would be glad to get back. This planet is so far behind modern technology. It was like having traveled back in time hundreds of years. Though they had droids, and hover tech, they have energy based weapons and rockets, they had holographic tech, etc., but aside from their attack pods and very few other flying items, everything travels by land or sea. Giving the essence of an old-time world. 

It had now been a full year since he first came to this planet. He was thirteen and three quarters, standard years old, but had grown to the age equivalent fifteen or sixteen in build and intelligence. His strenuous training and diet chizzled his body to a rock-solid perfection. His light to medium blue skin looked dark in this planets strange light.

The lights from the train came into sight. From his elevated view, he estimated one hundred miles, coming fast. He posted up on his feet with his knees and torso bent. His fists clenched a little in anticipation, the train grew closer, He timed his movements, he jumped from his perch high above and freefell to the ground. He landed on top of the train in a crouched position and ran along the trains length. Jumping from car to car as silently as the wind. He was concentrating. Using the force, he felt out the car he was looking for. 

Medical supplies. A shipment of medical supplies had been deemed unnecessary and taken from the town of Bonduu. Aan had sent him to recover the supplies and return them. He dropped through the opening in the top of the car and ignited his light saber for light. As he did the car lit up. Laser bars covered the openings and they sealed shut. Gas began coming from vents in the floor and ceiling. Aul sucked in as much air a he could.

The car soon filled with poison gas. So, thick he could barely see. It burned his eyes. He had to think. He ignited his light saber and thrust it into the side wall. He focused his energy through his sword, intensifying its radiance. He twisted from side to side. A hole melted in the metal. He withdrew his sword and punctured another hole above it, then another, and another, then to the other side, the more he did the stronger and faster he got at it. The gas was rushing through them clearing the room.

The laser bars receded and the doors on both sides opened. Four droids piled through from each side. Aul thrust his hand forward at the rear entrance and pushed the droids back into the other car. Without looking he swung his light saber backward over his shoulder deflecting a laser bolt then lifted two inches and deflected another. They both bounced off the laser blade right back into their chests. They fell sparking and snapping. Aul Moved his hand in a right sweep just in front of him closing the rear car door. He clenched his fist tight and the lock on the door snapped and shorted out. He turned sharply around waving his sword in front of his face deflecting another laser bolt from the front.

He held his free hand out and the droid floated in the air and rushed towards him right though his saber blade. He kept the blade in the droid and holding him up used him as a shield. He withdrew his light saber and threw it in the air straight through the other droid’s chest. He dropped the droid he was holding and rushed to the forward door. Using the force, he unlatched the car from the rest of the train. It cruised on its own for a few miles then came to rest right where Aan and master Ornus Onthelis accompanied by a few freedom fighters were stationed to intercept. Aul Rode the outside of the car as it slowed and stopped. 

“You’re late.” Said Aan in a playing tone. To which Aul responded. “I might be late but least you didn’t have to drive three Miles that way.” He pointed further down the track. “To where I finally stopped, like you last time.” He jumped of the back of the train and they began unloading the supplies. 

 

Jazone, was nervous. Only a month to go until his coup would take place. He was enjoying lunch in his newly rebuilt dining hall. A soldier rushed into the room. “Sir!” He said excitedly. “A craft has come into view on our scanners. About eighty solars from the atmosphere!” Jazone stood in attention. He threw his napkin on the table and rushed to the door. “Ready the perimeter battle groups. What is its trajectory?” The soldier replied “Here sir. All attempts to contact it have been unsuccessful.” Jazone rushed out of the room. Six of his royal guards quickly joined his side.

As he passed through the front doors and into the field he was met by his main perimeter forces. A ship came into view high above them. As it came closer landing gear extended. It hit the ground with a thud. Steam released from the pressure vents spewed out the sides. The door opened and the walkway extended. Jazone and his forces loaded their weapons and took aim.

A shadow emerged. Lare Eiza appeared coming down the way. Jazone’s heart jumped for joy! He dropped his weapon and ran towards her, picking her up and twirling her around in the air. “You’re alive! You’re alive!” He shouted. “What happened to you! Where have you been!”

They walked into the castle and she told him her story. About what happened to them during the battle, and the prison, she told him about the destruction of the mysterious outpost, as well as the deaths of so many of their brothers and sisters. After that they went into hiding from the Sith and she chose to stay with them and see some of the forbidden universe. She told him all about the different people and races, the technology, the food and the different planets, cultures, and sights! She had seen twelve planets in the last year abroad, but she knew it was time to come home. Jazone was fascinated by her story but there were more serious matters at hand. He filled her in on the goings on and what was about to happen. “JayCee can help.” She said. “He can use the force too.” 

Such was the first thing Jazone brought up the next time he saw Aan. Lare at his side she told him the whole story. 

“JayCee is not to be trusted. He is a con artist. We cannot allow his presence here.” Ann said sternly. 

Lare. “JayCee is my friend. He wouldn’t do that. I know him.”

Aan. “I knew him once too. For years, we were friends. But it turned out to be a lie. Everything he said and did had an alternate purpose. He is my enemy. I am grateful for what he did, and that he put an end to Lord Kifo. But that does not excuse what he did. I have spoken to the council on this matter and he is to be considered a threat to the republic. My mandate is clear. If he comes here I will kill him.” 

Lare looked hurt. She curtsied the Jedi and spoke. “I respect your position master Jedi, but you must also respect mine. JayCee told me and Tosh his story. What he did, he did out of necessity. He had no other choice. It was never his intention to hurt you.”

Aan wouldn’t listen and that’s where the conversation ended. There were more important things at hand. Only three days until the day of remembrance. They went over the plan many times. Making last minute adjustments and recalibrating certain aspects. Everything ready, the plan set and in place, they parted ways and prepared for the battle to come.


End file.
